EA Sports Simulation Predicts Spain Will Win 2026 World Cup

EA Sports has released the outcome of its simulation for the 2026 Men's World Cup, which began on June 11. The simulation projects Spain as the tournament winner, marking what would be its second World Cup title on the men's side and first since 2010.

The simulation also offers individual player and team predictions. It identifies 18-year-old Spanish player Lamine Yamal as the likely top goal-scorer of the tournament, participating in his first World Cup. Additionally, the United States team is predicted to be eliminated during the round of 16.

EA Sports' simulation model has a history of accuracy, having correctly predicted the winners of the past four Men's World Cups: Spain in 2010, Germany in 2014, France in 2018, and Argentina in 2022. The last incorrect prediction by the simulation occurred in 2006, when it selected the Czech Republic, a team that did not advance beyond the group stage.

Due to the expiration of its FIFA licensing agreement, EA Sports' newest game, EA Sports FC 26, does not feature official World Cup branding. However, the game recently received a "World's Game" update, introducing a 48-team tournament mode that, while legally distinct, is functionally similar to the World Cup. For those seeking an officially licensed FIFA World Cup game, Netflix has launched a new title that will be updated throughout the tournament.

According to GameSpot, these predictions come from the latest EA Sports simulation.