Since the World Cup debuted in 1930, only eight different nations — Uruguay, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, England, France and Spain — have managed to hoist the trophy at the world’s biggest soccer tournament.
In fact, only 13 countries have ever made it to a World Cup final, and all of those countries are either from Europe or South America.
So, is the list of contenders for the 2026 World Cup that small? Not a chance.
Many of the traditional powers are among the favorites for this summer’s tournament, but here are five national squads that could upset the apple cart and make a deep run when action starts up next month.