With 2025 now been and gone, it's time to look ahead to what the footballing world will bring in 2026. Or at least, that's what Jamie Carragher had done by naming his Premier League, Champions League, World Cup, and Ballon d'Or winners for 2026.
The pundit only got his hands on one of those trophies – the European Cup with Liverpool in 2005 – but has made a career for himself post-retirement as having some of the strongest opinions in English football. As such, it's no surprise to hear him kick off the year with some bold calls.
In many ways, 2025 was the year of the underdog, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, St Mirren and Aberdeen all getting their hands on rare trophies. As for 2026, it's anyone's guess – but here's what Carragher has predicted.
Carragher's Premier League Winner for 2026
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts vs Burnley
Writing in his column for The Telegraph, Carragher started by tipping Arsenal as his Premier League winners. The Gunners have not lifted the trophy since 2004, but it looks as though this could finally be their year, as they currently sit top of the division, with a four-point lead on Manchester City.
Explaining himself, Carragher wrote:
"Arsenal. They have the best squad, and everything is in place for them to end a 22-year wait. If they do it, it will be built on the spine of the team and solid foundations laid by their goalkeeper, centre-backs and Declan Rice."
That said, he did note that it won't be 'straightforward' and that injuries are the biggest obstacle Mikel Arteta will likely face. He also refused to rule out Man City, noting: "If City are still within touching distance of Arsenal by then, Guardiola will be confident and Arsenal – especially their fans – will be nervous. That could yet be a decisive factor."
Carragher's Champions League Winner for 2026
champions league trophy
The Liverpool icon, who won the Champions League in 2005, and also made the final in 2007, snubbed all English teams for his tournament winner this time around. Instead, he picked Bayern Munich, explaining how Harry Kane could be the man to lead them to glory:
"The competition promises to be the most exciting in years because there is no obvious winner. A year ago, Paris St-Germain emerged from the pack after an indifferent start to the tournament. The usual suspects, Real Madrid, have been inconsistent and look beatable, even though we know they tend to find a way once the knockout rounds begin. Manchester City could be the team to watch in 2026. With Haaland on fire, no one will want to draw them in the latter stages. My tip, however, is Bayern Munich. They are among the top goalscorers in the competition, with Harry Kane playing as well as any striker in Europe."
Carragher's World Cup Winner for 2026
world cup trophy
The biggest event in the sporting world across all of 2026 will be the World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Carragher never made it further than the quarter finals as a player, and he doesn't think England will be able to do much better this summer.
Indeed, the pundit thinks the Three Lions will likely fall short at the semis under Thomas Tuchel. Instead, he tipped France to win the whole thing, writing:
"France. They have so much class it is difficult to look beyond them. They’ve been the winners and runners-up in the last two World Cups, and in Didier Deschamps they have a World Cup-winning coach whose more pragmatic approach should suit the hot temperatures in the United States. Such is the pace and skill in the French line-up, there are times when you think they can be even better – it would be great to see them play like PSG in the Champions League – but they have the players to get the job done whichever approach they take. Any country navigating a path to the later stages will want to avoid the French."
Carragher's Ballon d'Or Winner for 2026
Ballon d'Or ceremony
Ballon d'Or ceremony
With France's World Cup glory in mind, it makes perfect sense that the Ballon d'Or winner would also come from that team. While PSG winger Ousmane Dembele claimed the prize in 2025, national teammate Kylian Mbappe has been tipped to win it this year.
Carragher confidently claimed that Declan Rice will win both the PFA and FWA Player of the Year, but the biggest individual prize of all will go to Mbappe:
"In a World Cup year, the Ballon d’Or is always won by the star player of the victorious country. As France are my prediction to win in the United States, this could be Kylian Mbappe’s year. He was third behind Lionel Messi and Haaland after France were beaten in the last World Cup."
It will certainly be interesting to revisit all the predictions at the end of the year, to see how many were accurate and how many were way off the mark.