The 2026 World Cup in the United States (US), Canada, and Mexico will be the 23rd edition of the most celebrated football tournament in the world.
Argentina will be determined to retain their crown and become the first nation to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil in 1958 and 1962.
However, it will not be a walk in the park with several global powerhouses also coveting a chance to be crowned kings of the world.
The five teams the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland will be eager to book their spot in the extended 48-team line-up in 2026. We assess their respective chances.
England
England boast a talent pool that can only be rivalled by a handful of nations across the globe, yet they have repeatedly struggled to live up to expectations in major tournaments.
Gareth Southgate’s tenure as England manager has been littered with near misses despite being tagged as the favourites to win every competition.
Since Southgate replaced Sam Allardyce in 2016, he has led England to the World Cup quarter-final, semi-final and the final of a European Championship, but they’ve come out empty-handed each time.
The story will likely be the same at the 2026 World Cup. The Three Lions are rated as 7/1 shots by the bookmakers, but it would be a brave move to back them to achieve the feat.
However, a change of manager would significantly improve their chances of ending their long wait to win major international silverware.
Republic of Ireland
Irish football has been on a downward spiral for decades, so it would take something special for the national team to make it to the 2026 World Cup.
Their recent performances in the European Championship qualifiers left plenty to be desired, a stark reminder of the work needed to be considered a decent side again.
The Republic of Ireland have not featured in a World Cup tournament since they crashed out of the 2002 edition in South Korea in the round of 16.
They have failed to qualify for the last five World Cup tournaments and two consecutive Euros, including the ongoing competition in Germany.
The struggle to find a successor for Stephen Kenny as manager highlights the disarray within the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).
Making it to the 2026 World Cup would be a monumental feat in itself, and online bookmakers think the chances of it happening are fairly miracle.
They are massive underdogs to be crowned world champions, with Irish World Cup betting sites pegging their chances of success at 1000/1.
Ireland’s chances of upsetting the odds will significantly improve if the FAI can get their act together and name a manager with a proven track record.
Scotland
Scotland will be hoping to qualify for the 2026 World Cup to mark their first appearance at the showpiece tournament since 1998.
While they’ve struggled to make their mark on the global stage, Scotland have qualified for consecutive Euro tournaments, although they failed to get past the group stage in 2020.
Their qualifier campaign for this year’s edition was a rollercoaster ride, with Steve Clarke’s side proving they have what it takes to compete with the continent’s elite.
The Scots finished their qualifiers group as runners-up behind Spain, beating Norway to a spot in Germany where they’ll be hoping to advance to the Euro knockout stage for the first time.
A decent outing in Germany could be a shot in the arm for the Scots, who will be keen to make their mark in the World Cup qualifiers next term.
Their 400/1 odds of success suggest they have little chance of succeeding in North America, but booking their ticket to the tournament would be a decent achievement.
Wales
Wales will be hoping to qualify for consecutive World Cup tournaments for the first time in their history.
They’ll be keen to make up for their awful display at the 2022 edition in Qatar, where they crashed out of the tournament in the group stage.
Despite their best efforts, Wales failed to qualify for consecutive major competitions after missing out on Euro 2024, although not for the lack of trying.
They were beaten to the punch by Turkey and Croatia, but they’ll fancy their chances of taking another swing at the 2026 World Cup.
Wales are rated as 300/1 shots to win the World Cup if they get past the qualifiers next year. They’ll be hoping for a favourable draw to bolster their chances.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland last featured in the World Cup in 1986. Their best run at the global showpiece was a quarter-final finish in 1958, but their chances of repeating that feat in 2026 are remote.
They have also missed out on two consecutive Euros, including the ongoing tournament in Germany, after an awful qualifying campaign in which they picked up nine points from ten games.
Northern Ireland have neither the firepower nor the pedigree to force their way into the upcoming World Cup, but they’ll be determined to give a decent account of themselves in the qualifiers.
Their performances will largely be determined by the group draw. But given their history in major tournaments, it will make little difference who they face.
Northern Ireland will likely use the upcoming Nations League as a dress rehearsal for the crucial World Cup qualifiers next year.
Their odds of 1000/1 suggest winning the World Cup is out of the question, but making it past the qualifiers will be their ultimate goal next year.