France remains the team to beat in the World Cup 2026 power rankings after the group stage, holding their pre-tournament No. 1 spot despite a slow start. Kylian Mbappé scored twice in the opener against Senegal after a poor refereeing decision, and Michael Olise impressed throughout, while Ousmane Dembélé notched a hat-trick against Norway. Didier Deschamps' side looks formidable.
Argentina and Spain Round Out Top Three
Argentina climbed one place to second, powered by Lionel Messi, who turned 39 during the tournament. He became the World Cup's record goalscorer with a hat-trick against Algeria and added two more against Austria, despite missing a penalty. He scored six goals in the group stage and was rested in the final match, though he came off the bench to score again. Spain dropped to third after a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in their opener, but responded with three goals in 24 minutes against Saudi Arabia. Lamine Yamal injected personality, though they struggled against Uruguay.
Netherlands and Colombia Rise; Portugal and Senegal Fall
Netherlands jumped nine places to fourth after Brian Brobbey's insertion as the outright No. 9 provided a dominant presence, scoring three goals in two starts. Virgil van Dijk praised Brobbey's quality. Colombia surged 15 places to sixth, led by Daniel Muñoz and Luis Díaz, though finishing needs improvement. Portugal dropped five places to 10th after Cristiano Ronaldo's two goals against Uzbekistan, but concerns remain about his overall impact. Senegal plummeted 26 places to 32nd after costly errors against Norway, though Ismaïla Sarr impressed.
Cape Verde's Historic Surge
Cape Verde climbed 26 places to 19th, the biggest rise in the rankings. Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40, said: "We are small. But we have big hearts and we are fighters." The island nation of 530,000 people secured three draws, finishing second in their group behind Spain. They will face Lionel Messi's Argentina in the round of 32.
USA and Co-Hosts Impress
USA rose eight places to 16th after a convincing win over Paraguay. Mauricio Pochettino said: "Making history is winning the World Cup, not just winning the group." Co-hosts Mexico climbed nine places to seventh, winning all three group games without conceding a goal. Canada rose seven places to 24th after a 6-0 win over Qatar, though Ismaël Koné suffered a double leg break. Jesse Marsch noted benefits of playing their next game in Los Angeles.
Other Notable Movers
Norway climbed three places to 12th, powered by Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard. Switzerland rose three places to 17th, with Johan Manzambi impressing. Ghana climbed 11 places to 26th but were criticized for their defensive style. Ecuador dropped 12 places to 30th after a slow start, though they rallied to beat Germany. Uruguay fell 11 places to 36th, with Marcelo Bielsa saying: "A tenure that left nothing behind." Turkey dropped 17 places to 40th after failing to advance.
