With the FIFA World Cup 2026 drawing closer, football fans around the world are once again turning to predictions, data models, and simulations in search of clues about who could emerge victorious on the sport's grandest stage.
Among the many forecasts circulating ahead of the tournament, one has attracted particular attention due to its remarkable track record. EA Sports FC, the popular football video game franchise developed by Electronic Arts, has predicted the winners of the last four FIFA World Cups through its pre-tournament simulations.
For many years, EA's World Cup forecasts were viewed largely as a promotional exercise. However, the accuracy of its predictions has transformed them into a tradition eagerly followed by fans, analysts, and journalists before every tournament.
Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, EA Sports FC has once again run its tournament simulation—and this time it predicts that Spain will be crowned world champions.
We've predicted four in a row. Now we've run the sim again.
— EA SPORTS FC (@EASPORTSFC) June 6, 2026
The next champion? ???????? pic.twitter.com/aNRQYVB1v1
The video game's reputation as the ultimate predictor of the future began in 2010 when its simulation predicted Spain would defeat the Netherlands in the final. The forecast proved accurate as Spain lifted the World Cup for the first time in its history.
Four years later, EA's simulation correctly anticipated a final between Germany and Argentina, with Germany emerging victorious in Brazil.
The streak continued in 2018 when the game projected France to win the tournament after defeating Croatia in the final. In 2022, the simulation once again got it right by predicting Argentina's triumph over France in Qatar.
While the exact scores and match details did not always align perfectly with reality, the game's ability to correctly identify the eventual champions in four consecutive tournaments has drawn widespread attention.
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How Does EA Sports FC Make Its Predictions?
EA Sports FC's simulations are powered by a vast database containing detailed information on players and national teams. The game incorporates individual player ratings, team strengths, tactical attributes, historical performances, and numerous statistical variables.
Using artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms, the system simulates thousands of matches to generate a likely tournament outcome. These simulations attempt to mirror real-world conditions as closely as possible, producing results based on the data available at the time.
Although the process is far from an exact science, the increasing sophistication of football analytics has made the predictions more intriguing with each World Cup cycle.
Spain Backed For Glory In 2026
The latest EA Sports FC simulation suggests Spain will add a second World Cup title to the one it won in 2010 when the tournament was hosted by South Africa. The prediction has already sparked debate among supporters, especially given the emergence of a talented new generation of Spanish players and the country's recent resurgence on the international stage.
Whether EA's forecast proves accurate remains to be seen. Predicting a World Cup winner is notoriously difficult given the quality of teams involved and the unpredictability that often defines the tournament.
Still, after correctly forecasting the last four World Cup champions—Spain in 2010, Germany in 2014, France in 2018, and Argentina in 2022—the gaming franchise's latest prediction is likely to be watched more closely than ever.
As football's biggest tournament approaches, fans will be left wondering whether EA Sports FC can extend its extraordinary streak to five consecutive World Cups—or whether the beautiful game will once again produce an unexpected twist.
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