World Cup 2026 Predictions

[StanSP]

1 hour ago, Dan said:

Actually unsure who had the most reds - think it was South Africa? Paraguay came close if nothing else

Yeah SA had 3.

 

Paraguay 2. 

 

As bad as referees have been perceived, there were only 19 red cards. (plus two off field ones (Egypt coach and Paredes). Out of 104 matches that's fairly low. 

 

Iraq, Tunisia and England most goals conceded (12).

 

[Dan]

10 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Yeah SA had 3.

 

Paraguay 2. 

 

As bad as referees have been perceived, there were only 19 red cards. (plus two off field ones (Egypt coach and Paredes). Out of 104 matches that's fairly low. 

 

Iraq, Tunisia and England most goals conceded (12).

 

I run my own sweepstake and one of the awards is the worst discipline so I am keeping a bit of a track of it. I scored it based on 1 point for a yellow and 3 for a straight red. Obviously 2 yellows and red is 2 points. It'll come as no surprise that Argentina and Paraguay ended up the top two.

 

I think they very purposely went lenient on cards in the early rounds after the debacle of the opening fixture. I still find Paraguay going cardless against France completely extraordinary.

[Alf Bentley]

On 04/06/2026 at 18:50, Alf Bentley said:

Winner -  Spain

Runner-up -  Argentina

3rd and 4th place -  England & USA

 

Most Team Goals -  Belgium

Top Goalscorer -  Haaland

 

Most red cards - South Africa

 

Most Goals Conceded -  Iraq

 

Pretty happy/boastful about my predictions. 

 

- Got Spain as winners, Argentina as runners up and England in playoff...and surely USA would've beaten Belgium without Strumpf's counter-productive Balogun intervention? 

- Also got most red cards and most goals conceded correct, albeit South Africa and Iraq achieved those dishonours jointly with a couple of other teams

- Belgium to score most goals and Haaland as top scorer were incorrect, but not by much (Belgium 4th, Haaland joint 3rd).

 

Why didn't I take some of those predictions to my old mates Bill Hill and Joseph Coral?