Will England Finally end Their Long Wait for a Second World Cup Success?
Will England Finally end Their Long Wait for a Second World Cup Success?
The countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is on!
The tournament will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico in the summer of 2026. It will be the first time the tournament has been hosted in North America since 1994. It will be the 23rd staging of the iconic tournament, and it will get underway on June 11th, 2026.
The 2026 World Cup will also feature 48 teams, an increase from the previous total of 32. Football fans are also delighted to see the event return to its traditional mid-summer slot with the previous incarnation, held in Qatar, taking place in December.
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Previous World Cup Winners
England’s last victory at this event came in 1966. The Three Lions beat West Germany 4-2 in extra time at Wembley Stadium and although they’ve gone close in recent years, they are yet to repeat this success.
Uruguay were the winners of the inaugural World Cup in Montevideo and they were also victorious two decades later in 1950. Brazil enjoyed a period of dominance with the Selecao lifting the trophy in 1958, 1962 and 1970. They were forced to wait 24 years for their next success in 1994, however, they followed this up with a brilliant showing at the 2002 tournament.
Italy have been victorious on four occasions, yet they’ve only won the tournament twice since 1938. Germany are the second most successful side in the history of the competition, taking top honours on four occasions. They’ve competed in the most finals (8). Their successes have been fairly spread out with exactly 60 years between their first and their last victory.
France had to wait until 1998 for their first triumph, however, Les Bleus were able to replicate this in 2018. Argentina and Spain are the other two teams to have tasted success in this competition with the South American side heading into 2026 as the holders whereas Spain were crowned European Champions in the summer of 2024.
Five teams – the Netherlands, Sweden, Croatia, Hungary and the Czechoslovakia have reached the final without ever succeeding in this event.
England’s Chance of Success in 2026
England tend to be amongst the favourites ahead of any international tournament. Under Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions went close, yet they fell at the final hurdle. They have a tremendously talented squad with many of their players competing for top six Premier League sides. Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham is one of Europe’s standout talents and he is likely to have a significant impact across the four week period.
England were defeated by Spain in the final of the European Championships and have subsequently made a managerial change. Serial winner Thomas Tuchel has replaced Gareth Southgate and although the German can be an abrasive character, he is renowned for his meticulous preparations and his ability to produce a tactical masterclass. This is something that many believed his predecessor lacked.
Who are England’s Rivals?
France are one of the favourites for success at the 2026 World Cup, however, they appear to be in a period of malaise at the time of writing. Didier Deschamps’ side were incredibly underwhelming at Euro 2024 and they are currently without Kylian Mbappe who has refused to represent his nation in recent months. Fans will be hoping that the Real Madrid star can patch up his differences with Deschamps ahead of this tournament.
Holders Argentina are understandably prominent in the betting with Lionel Messi likely to feature for La Albiceleste. They haven’t been completely convincing during the CONMEBOL qualifying period and they will need to improve their performances at the 2026 World Cup if they are clinch consecutive successes at this tournament.
Brazil are always a popular bet with World Cup punters, however, there is a general concensus that their squad isn’t quite as strong as it has been at previous tournament. Much will depend on the fitness and availability of Neymar Jr.
Euro 2024 winners Spain are the international side to beat at the moment. Notwithstanding Rodri’s injury, La Roja were superb in Paris and they will be looking to continue their form in the summer of 2026.