who were the world cup favorites

The main World Cup favorites in the current conversation context are France, Brazil, Spain, England, and Germany, with France described as a heavy favorite in recent coverage. Recent articles and power rankings also place France near the top heading into the round of 16, while Brazil, Spain, England, and Germany are among the other leading contenders.

Quick Scoop

• France is being treated as the biggest favorite in recent reporting.
• Brazil, Spain, England, and Germany are also consistently listed among the strongest title contenders.
• Some coverage suggests the favorites can shift quickly after knockout-stage results, so the picture is still fluid.

Context

The latest power-rankings style coverage focuses on the teams left in the tournament and ranks them by title odds rather than reputation alone. That means “favorites” here is more about current form, bracket position, and betting markets than history.

One-line takeaway

If you mean the 2026 World Cup, France appears to be the clearest favorite right now, with Brazil, Spain, England, and Germany close behind.