The 2026 World Cup in North America is set to be the biggest tournament yet. Not only in terms of the number of countries competing, but also with potential matches later in the tournament.
Stars of the past, present and future will clash across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer. Let’s take a look at the biggest dream matches on paper that could come to fruition.
Brazil vs. Argentina
There is simply no bigger game in international football than this. Argentina and Brazil are the biggest rivals in the sport, and they haven’t met in a World Cup since 1990. Because of how the bracket is set up this year the earliest they could meet is the quarter-finals, but there is always a dream that these two will face off with the title on the line.
They are not at the top of the list of favorites and a knockout matchup seems unlikely right now, but every World Cup has a big surprise and a Final between these two would certainly be the most pleasant of all surprises.
Argentina vs. Portugal
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the two defining players of the 21st century who have faced each other several times at the club level in memorable El Clásico encounters for Barcelona and Real Madrid, but they’ve never met at a World Cup before.
This will be the final appearance in the tournament for both legends, and how beautifully poetic would it be for their only World Cup encounter to take place on their farewell appearances, especially if it takes place in the late knockout rounds with Ronaldo’s last chance to win a World Cup title at stake.
Argentina vs. Spain
If Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s matchup would be the last meeting of the legends, this would be a passing of the torch between Barcelona greats as Messi would face off against Lamine Yamal, considered by many as Messi’s successor in the Catalan capital.
Yamal is already one of the very best players in the world and Spain are on the shortlist of favorites to win it all, but facing the Albiceleste looking to make one last stand in Messi’s farewell would be a monster test for La Roja and a game that Barça fans would never forget.
Argentina vs. France
This is a very Argentina-heavy list, but they are the defending champions and this is Messi’s last tournament, so every potential matchup involving them is just too good to pass up. And a rematch of the last World Cup Final is about as perfect as it gets; that December 18, 2022 game might very well go down as the greatest match ever, with every possible twist and turn ending in Argentina’s win on penalties to give Messi his first World Cup.
Kylian Mbappé and France are hungry for revenge and have a ridiculously stacked cast of stars ready to get over the heartbreak of four years ago, and getting past Argentina on the road to redemption would be a great story for Les Bleus.
France vs. Spain
France and Spain have met twice in big games in the last two summers, with Spain winning both the Euro 2024 semi-final and the UEFA Nations League semi-final last year in epic fashion. These are the two current best national teams in the world who are on a clear collision course over the next few years at the European and World Cup stage.
Mbappé vs Yamal has become one of the sport’s best rivalries given their club meetings in El Clásico and their two amazing international encounters, and what an incredible story it would be if the next chapter in this epic rivalry is a World Cup Final meeting in July.
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