Billy, a one-year-old British Shorthair cat, has correctly predicted the winners of all 19 World Cup 2026 matches so far, stunning his owners and delighting fans online. The 'clairvoyant' moggy, owned by Linka Lin, 33, and Mark Kelly, 35, from Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland, selects his picks by pawing at flags representing the two nations in each fixture.
Flawless Record Since Tournament Kickoff
Since the World Cup began in the United States, Billy has maintained a perfect record, including accurately forecasting Argentina's victory over Austria in the latest match. His owners, who rescued him at three months old from the USPCA, have been sharing his predictions on Instagram under the handle @billy_heartnose, named for the distinctive heart-shaped markings on his snout.
Linka said: "As a cat he doesn't seem to be bothered that he's an online influencer. To us he's still our cat, still Billy." She added that the positive reactions have been overwhelming: "We've had a lot of really kind messages. Sometimes Billy will pick a country people don't want and they will comment saying 'I forgive you, you're really cute'."
How Billy Makes His Predictions
Linka explained that Billy's predictive abilities emerged from a game she played with him. "We started with Billy doing the 'this and that' quiz - asking if he prefers Pepsi or Coke, or rice or noodles," she said. After returning from an event with small flags, she began using them to play with Billy, and the World Cup provided a natural test. "We didn't expect some of the videos to get picked up by people online."
Billy sometimes makes his selections quickly, while other times he takes longer to decide. "There was one incident where the whole thing was interrupted as there was a fly in the house and he couldn't concentrate," Linka noted. Despite the pressure, she remains confident: "It's going to be harder and harder to get it right with time and the level of expectation will be heavier but I'm pretty confident he can handle that."
Billy's Correct Predictions List
Billy's flawless predictions so far include: Mexico over South Africa, South Korea over Czech Republic, USA over Paraguay, Scotland over Haiti, Sweden over Tunisia, England over Croatia, USA over Australia, France over Senegal, Norway over Iraq, Colombia over Uzbekistan, Germany over Ivory Coast, Japan over Tunisia, and Argentina over Austria.
Linka believes Billy communicates his needs through body language and meows. "He will walk me to the door if he wants to go outside or wants a treat," she said. "We know Billy is very very smart."
