The predictions of the supercomputer belonging to the specialized statistics and data analysis platform 'Opta' revealed the identity of the teams most likely to reach the 2026 World Cup final, ahead of the two semi-final matches pairing France with Spain, and England with Argentina.

The predictions showed that the French team has an advantage over its Spanish counterpart in the battle to secure a ticket to the final match, with their probability of advancing reaching 57.7%, compared to 42.3% for Spain, in an anticipated clash between the two former European champions.

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In the other semi-final, the artificial intelligence calculations indicate a very close contest between England and Argentina, with a slight advantage for the English team, whose chance of reaching the final is 50.9%, compared to 49.1% for the former world champion. Opta's predictions do not stop at determining the finalists, but extend to the chances of winning the 2026 World Cup, as the French team tops the list of candidates to win the tournament with 34%, ahead of Spain, which has a chance of 23.4%.

The English team comes in third place among the candidates for the title with 21.9%, while Argentina occupies fourth place with 20.6%, in a race that seems close among the four remaining teams.

Opta's algorithms are based on thousands of simulations before each match, relying on a large set of indicators, including team strength, performance levels during the tournament, recent results, as well as offensive and defensive statistics, player ratings, and factors related to knockout matches.

All eyes are on the World Cup's golden square, as France, Spain, England, and Argentina each seek to snatch the ticket to the final, one step away from competing to lift the 2026 World Cup.