Wenger tips France to win World Cup but warns Spain are technically superior

Arsene Wenger has predicted France will win the 2026 World Cup, while identifying Spain as the only realistic threat to his home nation’s ambitions at the tournament.

Wenger, who serves as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, expressed confidence in Didier Deschamps’ side despite acknowledging that Luis de la Fuente’s Spain are technically the stronger team. “France will win the World Cup,” Wenger said. “I know you will say, ‘of course you say that, you’re French’.”

The former Arsenal manager pointed to the physical demands of the tournament as a key factor in France’s favour. “The train goes at a certain pace and you have to be capable of getting on the train,” he explained, noting that several Asian sides had already been eliminated due to an inability to match the intensity and pace of the games.

Wenger was candid about Spain’s qualities, however. “If one team is capable now of beating France I would say it is Spain because their technical level is better than France. They have quality and a culture of collective football that nobody else in the world has at that level. That could be the decider between these two — but of course France is stronger physically.”

Spain’s record against France in recent years lends some weight to Wenger’s caution. Los Rojos have beaten Les Bleus in their last two encounters — a 5-4 victory in the Nations League semi-final and a 2-1 win in the Euro 2024 semi-final — and arrive at this tournament as reigning European champions, their first major honour since lifting the World Cup in 2010.

France, meanwhile, last won the tournament in 2018 and were beaten finalists in 2022, losing to Argentina on penalties.

The two sides appear to be on a collision course for another semi-final meeting. France must first defeat Morocco to advance, while Spain face Belgium. England and Argentina occupy the opposite side of the draw, with the Three Lions set to face Norway and Argentina taking on Switzerland in the quarter-finals.