We are still a little over a year and a half away from the 2026 World Cup, but fans are already anticipating the start of the prestigious tournament.
With 48 teams set to feature for the first time, there could be some surprises. Read on as we look at some underdogs to watch out for in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
New Zealand
New Zealand have made considerable strides to establish themselves on the international football scene over the past few years.
They are generally considered the whipping boys of the tournament whenever they qualify, but 2026 could be the year they prove that they are no longer just a side attraction.
Nottingham Forest star Chris Wood will be at the forefront of their quest for global recognition. He has been in remarkable form this season, scoring seven goals in nine games.
He is an extremely popular option for sports bettors, and his current form spurs optimism about New Zealand’s chances of upsetting the odds at the World Cup.
Several brand new sports betting sites in New Zealand are offering tempting odds for Wood to be their standout performer, and the Kiwis will pin their hopes on him.
New Zealand will head into the tournament with little to lose and everything to prove, but decent performances from Wood could boost their chances of defying the odds.
Canada
Canada will participate in the World Cup for only the third time in their history, but they will certainly be a team to watch in 2026.
They reached the semi-final of the 2024 Copa America this summer, so they will fancy their chances of going head-to-head with the top teams again.
Les Rouges picked up four points from three games to advance to the knockout stage, where they beat Venezuela in the quarter-final before falling to eventual champions Argentina in the last four.
They came agonisingly close to edging 15-time Copa America winners Uruguay in the battle for third place, but a late Luis Suarez strike sent the tie to penalties, where they lost 4-2.
The 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarter-finalists will get another chance to prove they can compete with the best teams in the world when they co-host the World Cup in 2026.
With Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David in their squad, Canada will back themselves to reach the latter stages of the tournament, especially if they get a favourable group stage draw.
Mexico
Mexico might not typically be considered an underdog. However, given their recent struggles, they will enter the 2026 World Cup with lower expectations than in past years.
Fans will undoubtedly want to see the team make a deep run, but their inconsistency over the last few tournaments has cast doubts about their ability to compete with the best teams in the world.
Nevertheless, Mexico will enter the World Cup with something to prove and a drive to redeem themselves on the international stage.
An inferior goal difference proved to be their undoing at the 2024 Copa America as they failed to reach the latter stages.
However, parting ways with head coach Jaime Lozano and reappointing the experienced Javier Aguirre has been a game-changer for Mexico.
El Tri are yet to taste defeat with Aguirre in charge, claiming friendly wins against New Zealand and the US on either side of draws against Canada and Valencia.
If they continue their upward trajectory, Mexico have the experience and talent to enjoy a decent run into the latter stages of the World Cup.
Nigeria
Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign is not going according to plan, with the team yet to register a win after four games, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them book their ticket to North America.
You never know what to expect from the Super Eagles, but they have a knack for grinding out results and getting over the line, fuelled by the outrageous amount of talent in their squad.
With Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman and Victor Boniface in the team, Nigeria will expect to progress to the World Cup despite their awful start to the qualifiers.
Nigeria carries the weight of African pride on their shoulders, and they will be pushing hard to represent the continent on the global stage.
They have the potential to make a deep run in the World Cup despite their underdog status, but must shrug off their inconsistency to make a real impact.
