World Cup 2026: all 48 teams and what they mean for your sweepstake
The 2026 World Cup is the biggest in history. For the first time, 48 nations are competing — up from 32 in previous tournaments — which means more matches, more upsets, and more sweepstake drama.
Why 48 teams changes everything for sweepstakes
A 32-team World Cup means a lot of sweepstake participants drawing relative unknowns and having little reason to watch. With 48 nations, the field is bigger but the top-heavy nature of international football means there are still clear favourites, mid-tier genuine contenders, and long shots — which creates a much more interesting sweepstake spread.
More teams also means more people can have a team each. A 48-person sweepstake — the maximum on playdrawr's free plan — gives every participant one nation. At a 20-person office, each person gets two teams on average, increasing the chance that someone in your sweepstake has a genuine contender.
The favourites — dream draws
These are the teams every sweepstake participant wants to draw. If you land one of these, expect the office to envy you immediately.
France
Arguably the most complete squad in the tournament. Strong throughout the pitch, experienced in knockout football, and perpetual World Cup contenders since their 2018 triumph.
England
Co-hosting nations often have a tournament boost, and England have been building consistently. Drawing the Three Lions in a UK office sweepstake generates instant noise.
Brazil
The most decorated football nation in history. Always dangerous, always a conversation starter, always a crowd-pleaser when their name is drawn.
Argentina
Reigning world champions. Drawing Argentina might be the highest-value ticket in any 2026 sweepstake.
Spain
Technical, consistent, and perennial contenders. A smart draw for anyone who likes an each-way bet on tournament football.
Germany
Rebuilding but dangerous, with the depth to go deep in any knockout tournament.
The mid-tier — interesting draws
These nations won't win outright but could surprise, go deep in the knockout rounds, and keep their sweepstake owner engaged well into July.
Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Uruguay, Colombia, Morocco, Japan, USA (as hosts), Mexico (as hosts), Canada (as hosts), Croatia, Denmark, Switzerland, Senegal, South Korea, Australia.
The long shots — sweepstake wildcards
Every great sweepstake has someone drawing a team with a 100/1 chance of winning — and every tournament throws up an underdog story. These are the nations that keep the sweepstake alive for people who'd otherwise have nothing to watch after the group stage.
Ecuador, Chile, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tunisia, Algeria, Turkey, Ukraine, Poland, Serbia, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Scotland, Wales, Costa Rica, Panama, New Zealand.
The host nation advantage
The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by the USA, Mexico, and Canada — all three nations qualify automatically. Home crowds, home altitude in some Mexican venues, and the patriotic fervour that comes with a home tournament make all three worth more than their seedings suggest.
Drawing the USA, Mexico, or Canada is a solid sweepstake ticket. None are favourites but all three could be dangerous in the knockout rounds.
Which team should you hope to draw?
Honestly, this is the beauty of the sweepstake — you don't get to choose. But if you want to know what makes a good draw: any team from the top 20 FIFA rankings gives you a genuine chance of staying relevant into the knockout rounds. Any team from the top 10 is a proper sweepstake contender.
And then there's the chaos factor — the tournament always produces a surprise semi-finalist. In 2022 it was Morocco. In 2018 it was Croatia. In 2026 it'll be someone nobody expected. That's the draw that wins the pub sweepstake.
Track your team throughout the tournament
Once you've run your draw on playdrawr, every participant gets a live leaderboard tracking their team's progress.
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