The tournament has reached the quarter-final stage, with only eight teams remaining: Morocco, France, Spain, Belgium, England, Norway, Argentina, and Switzerland.
Having navigated five rounds of games, all eight nations will definitely be hopeful of lifting the trophy after the final on July 19 at the New Jersey Stadium.
France forward Kylian Mbappe walks out with teammates in 2026 World Cup. Copyright:ImagoxScottxRausenbergerx
Unfortunately, the Super Eagles failed to qualify. But Morocco remains the only team flying Africa's flag high in the tournament, though they have a mountain to climb when they take on two-time champions France in their quarter-final clash on Thursday.
Les Bleus have been in excellent form and are expected to defeat the Atlas Lions when the two sides lock horns on Thursday. Nonetheless, Morocco has proven that they can step up against the big boys when push comes to shove, so they will certainly fancy their chances.
Who Will Win the 2026 World Cup? Mutiu Adepoju Predicts
Mutiu Adepoju for the Super Eagles. (Photo by Imago)
In an exclusive interview with Soccernet, he revealed that Spain are his favorites to win the trophy in the Americas.
”We have seen upsets; we have seen Germany, the Netherlands, and Brazil — potential winners — knocked out,” Adepoju said.
”But Argentina, Spain, and France are still there. My favorites to win would be Spain. That is my personal wish.”
Spain national team at 2026 World Cup. (Photo by Imago)
The 55-year-old’s stance is hardly surprising, given that he spent six years of his career in Spain playing for Real Madrid; naturally, he retains a strong affinity for the nation.
Interestingly, Adepoju played in three World Cups for Nigeria. In the 1998 edition, he notably scored against Spain in a historic 3-2 victory. To this day, no African team has been able to defeat France at the Mundial.
Kelvin Omachonu is a professional football columnist and sports writer with over half a decade of experience covering major events and delivering captivating, analytically-driven stories.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, he is fueled by a profound dedication to sports journalism and the beautiful game. His insights have previously been featured in respected outlets, including IndyPress UI, UCJ UI Newshive NG, Sportpremi, and a few others.
Away from work, Kelvin is an avid fan of basketball, enjoys a great movie, and is always discovering new music.
