Who will win the 2026 World Cup? Kawowo Sports Team pick their champions, Africa’s best performers and top scorers

The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts on Thursday, June 11, at the Mexico City Stadium (Azteca Stadium) in Mexico, with hosts Mexico taking on South Africa.

With the expanded format of the global showpiece, the final match will be played at MetLife Stadium in the United States on July 19, marking Match No. 104.

All 104 matches will be live on DStv on four dedicated FIFA World Cup Channels in multiple languages. The Channels are FIFA World Cup Central (Channel 222), FIFA World Cup Extra (Channel 223), FIFA World Cup Pass (Channel 225), and FIFA World Cup Swahili (Channel 224).

Forty-eight teams from across all continents will compete, but only one will lift the coveted trophy. Will it be Argentina defending their crown? Will record champions Brazil end a 24-year wait? Or a new winner awaits?

Kawowo Sports football pundits, writers, photographers, videographers, editors and all staff have predicted what will happen over the next five weeks, and here we are.

The predictions mainly focus on champions, Africa’s best-performing nation and how far they will go, plus the tournament top scorers.

Here is the summary of the predictions

Name	Winners	Best African Nation [Stage]	Top Scorer
Ismael Kiyonga	Spain	Morocco & Senegal – Quarter Final	Kane & Mbappe
Joshua Lubanga	Spain	Senegal – SEMIS	Mbappe
Samuel Okiria	Argentina	Senegal – Quarter Final	Kane & Messi
Raymond Kagoda	Argentina	Morocco – FINAL	Mbappe & Ronaldo
Don Mugabi	Spain	Senegal – SEMIS	Yamal
Joel Muyita	France	Ivory Coast – Quarter Final	Mbappe
Solomon Mwesigwa	Germany	Algeria – Quarter Final	Oyarzabal
David Isabirye	Brazil	Morocco – Quarter Final	Vinicius Jr
Edwin Kyle Kule	Portugal	Morocco – Quarter Final	Mbappe
Mike Muhima	France	Senegal – Round of 16	Mbappe
Denis Musali	Germany	Ghana – Round of 16	Kane
Franklin Kaweru	Portugal	Senegal – Quarter Final	Kane & Mbappe
Grace Joyce Kemigisa	Brazil/France	Senegal & Morocco – Quarter Final	Yamal & Mbappe
Gerald Norman VIII	France	Senegal – Quarter Final	Mbappe
Benjamin Musasizi	Spain	Morocco – Quarter Final	Kane & Mbappe
Joseph Owino	Portugal	Senegal – Quarter Final	Mbappe
Marion Katusiime	France	Senegal – Quarter Final	Dembele
Ruth Owino	Spain	Senegal – Quarter Final	Mbappe
Javira Ssebwami	Portugal	Morocco – SEMIS	Mbappe & Alvarez
Aminah Babirye	France	Morocco – Quarter Final	Mbappe
Viola Namulwa	France	Morocco – Quarter Final	Kane & Mbappe
John Batanudde	Portugal	Senegal – Quarter Final	Kane
Sharipha Ramah Namagooba	Portugal	Morocco – Quarter Final	Mbappe

And you, dear readers, join us in the game by predicting in the comment section.