World Cup Dark Horses | OneFootball

The World Cup 2026 is drawing ever closer. As most of the domestic competitions in Europe approach their climax, attention will soon divert to the largest-ever World Cup, with 48 nations battling it out to be crowned champion. There have only ever been eight different winners of the most prestigious competition in international football, and the likelihood of that changing this year seems to be remote.

That’s not to say that there won’t be a few shocks in store this summer, however. World Cups always throw up some surprising games and results. Anyone planning to place World Cup bets on a winner might want to look at a previous champion, but these extended finals promise a lot of drama and excitement along the way. MyTopSportsbooks is a great place to find the best place to make your World Cup predictions, but if you need a little more information on some of the less-fancied teams, this article has all you need to know about potential dark horses at World Cup 2026.

Mexico

Host nations are well-known to overachieve in front of their own fans, with South Korea’s march to the semifinal stage in 2002 a good example. There are, of course, three co-hosts of this summer’s tournament, but it is Mexico that might spring a surprise. Mexico has much more of a World Cup pedigree, having featured at the last eight finals and hosting two before that. El Tri has historically been the powerhouse of North American football and, while that has changed somewhat, there is promise in a squad that has more players from Liga MX than in the past. If all goes well, Mexico will play on home soil until the quarterfinals and is very difficult to score against. In the heat of North America, this is one local team that could do well.

Scotland

This nation hasn’t qualified for a World Cup finals since 1998, but back-to-back appearances at the European Championship have boosted confidence in a team that is home to a number of stars of the EPL and Serie A. Topping a qualification group that also included World Cup regular Denmark was just the latest example of Scotland’s improvement. Steve Clarke’s men will do well to beat the drama of the final qualifying game against Denmark, in which two stoppage-time goals booked a finals berth. But a sense of togetherness among the squad could cause some upsets this summer, with the talismanic Scott McTominay keen to carry on the good form he has shown at Napoli. One thing’s for sure, the Scottish fans will do everything they can to make every game a special occasion.

Türkiye

Don’t be fooled by Türkiye’s need for a playoff victory against Bosnia into thinking that this is a team to disregard this summer. You shouldn’t really take anything from the fact that Türkiye have only ever featured at two World Cup finals either, even if the last appearance was in 2002. An exciting young squad, packed with talent, Türkiye could go far. It is true that Türkiye has been many people’s dark horse at the last two European Championships and has largely disappointed, but a good showing in the group stage could act as a springboard for the rest of the tournament. Türkiye doesn’t face the US until the last game of the opening phase and, by then, the likes of Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz may have already made an impact.

Ecuador

When it comes to South America, most fans will be expecting to see Argentina and Brazil progressing to the latter stages. But it is Ecuador that took CONMEBOL qualifying by storm, only finishing second to the current World champion and losing just twice in a marathon 18- game schedule.

La Tri has impressed in friendlies since booking a place at the finals as well, including drawing on the road in Mexico and the Netherlands. Led by Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caceido, Ecuador has a squad full of players plying their trade in Europe and Brazil, but a tough group draw could be a sticking point. Both Germany and the Ivory Coast will be tough opponents, but anything could happen if there is progression from the opening phase.

Egypt

Morocco was the surprise team of the last World Cup, with its deep run only ending at the semifinal stage against France. The Atlas Lions had beaten both Spain and Portugal along the way, and their great rival, Egypt, will now be looking to emulate that feat this summer. The Pharaohs may never have won a finals game in three separate attempts, but an expanded format might suit them this time.

Egypt will kick off its finals against Belgium, and any kind of result there would set them up nicely. Even a battling defeat would spur them on in their remaining two games. This will surely be the last chance for Mo Salah to shine on the global stage, and his teammates will be doing everything they can to send him off in a fitting manner.

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Norway

Finally, possibly the quintessential dark horse for this summer’s World Cup. Norway is another nation that hasn’t competed at a finals since 1998, but big things are expected of the Scandinavians this year. That has a lot to do with the strength of its squad, but mostly because of the presence of Erling Haaland. Haaland has won everything in European club football while at Manchester City, but he has not been able to prove his worth on the international stage as yet. He will face some tough teams in the group stage, with Senegal and France coming up after an opening fixture against Iraq. If Norway can make it out of what many people are calling the “group of death”, Haaland and Norway may well make up for lost time.