Figure 1 This World Cup will be the biggest ever – Source: Unsplash
It will be the biggest World Cup ever. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confidently declared that this summer’s tournament will be like 104 Super Bowls. Even if that does sound a little over-the-top, there is no doubt that World Cup 2026 will be the largest, most extravagant event in the competition’s history.
FIFA’s decision to expand the format to include 48 teams did not initially go down well with everyone, but, for the likes of Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan, it gave more chances than ever before for some of the smaller nations to be involved in the most prestigious international football event on the planet.
Alongside those relative minnows, there will be the favorites, like Argentina, Spain, France, and England. Those are the teams that all of the world’s top online sportsbooks will have as favorites to lift the famous trophy in July. But who else might make an impression on the tournament? Here are four of the more unfancied sides that could be making headlines this summer.
Morocco
After making it all the way to the semifinals of World Cup 2022, it might seem a little unfair to classify Morocco as “unfancied”. The Atlas Lions are now ranked eighth in the world and recognized as the top team in Africa, even though they were unable to claim the AFCON trophy on home soil at the beginning of the year.
But many football fans will be waiting to see if that success at the last World Cup was just a fluke. Can Morocco prove that it deserves to be in the latter rounds of the competition? With half of its AFCON squad born outside of the country, there is no doubt that some players have benefited from some of the top European academies, but the general level of talent is also very high.
Morocco kicks off its World Cup campaign with a game against Brazil, so we will soon know if the current squad is up for a long run in the competition. It will feel as though it can make it out of the group stage and, considering it beat Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds in Qatar, head coach Walid Regragul will be confident this summer.
World Cup
If Morocco is to do well at World Cup 2026, it will have to get past this tricky team in the group stage. Scotland has had the misfortune of watching the tournament from home for the past 28 years, but has now finally qualified again – and it will feel like the entire nation will be supporting Steve Clarke’s side in North America.
The Tartan Army is known as one of the best supporter groups in world football, so the players will have quite a job to live up to their expectations and passion. But Scotland is on something of a roll at the moment. It has qualified for the past two European Championships, admittedly without performing at the finals, and has beaten Spain, Croatia, and Denmark recently.
Scotland finishes its group games with a tough fixture against Brazil. So, Steve Clarke will be hoping that enough has already been done against Haiti and Morocco to see them through to the knockout rounds. If that has happened, don’t be surprised to see this team flying on the back of its incredible support.
South Korea
After qualifying for the finals as early as last summer, South Korea has had to make do with regional tournaments and friendlies to test itself as it gets ready for this summer’s tournament. You have to go back to 1982 to find a World Cup without South Korea, but this Asian powerhouse has been unable to show its strength on the global stage.
Aside from a fourth-place finish at the finals it co-hosted in 2002, South Korea has not been able to get past the round of 16, even though it has regularly boasted players from many of the world’s top leagues. The domestic league is also very strong, so there is hope for the current side to do well in North America.
The focal point will be Son Heung-min, who has most recently been playing in the US for LAFC, but there is talent throughout Hong Myung-bo’s squad. The group looks fairly evenly balanced, so a good result against Mexico or the as-yet-unknown European playoff tie winner could set South Korea up nicely for the rest of the tournament.
Figure 2 Scotland’s fans will certainly add to the atmosphere of the tournament – Source: Unsplash
Norway
Shortly before the World Cup was last hosted by the US, Norway was ranked by FIFA as the second-best team on the planet. In the years since, the national side has dropped as low as 88th, but a new generation of players has finally gotten past the rigors of qualification to earn a place at the top table once again.
Like Scotland, Norway hasn’t featured at a World Cup finals since 1998 – and has only ever made it to one European Championship, in 2000 – forcing players like Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard to miss out on the big occasion. Now the Norwegians are back, and there is real belief that they could do well this year.
Norway has won every game it has played, apart from one friendly draw against New Zealand, since October 2024, and this is another set of fans who are desperate to experience the finals again. A tough group that includes France and Senegal might dash those hopes, but there is also a chance that this Norway team makes up for lost time.
