The Argentina team begins the 2026 World Cup with the challenge of overcoming a historical writing that has lasted for more than three decades. Current holders of the world title, the team led by Lionel Messi is trying to become the first team in the history of football to win the tournament while occupying first place in the official FIFA national team rankings at the time of the competition’s opening.
The taboo in question came into effect after the creation of the official list by football’s highest governing body, in August 1993. Since that edition, no country that arrived at the tournament boasting the status of number one in the world managed to lift the cup at the end of the competition, transforming leadership into a kind of “curse” for the favorites.
How Argentina took top spot before the World Cup
The leadership of the current world champions in the ranking was consolidated in the final stretch of preparation for the 2026 tournament. France was the team that occupied the first position on the list, but ended up overtaken by the Argentines after being defeated 2-1 by Ivory Coast in a recent preparatory friendly, which caused the French to fall to third place overall.
Great powers in world football have already fallen victim to this historical writing over the last eight editions of the World Cup. Renowned teams such as Germany from 1994 and 2018, Brazil from 1998, 2006, 2010 and 2022, France from 2002 and Spain from 2014 entered the competition at the top of the ranking, but saw other opponents take the trophy.
History of the ranking leaders and their respective champions
Below, see the list of all the teams that started each edition of the World Cup at the top of the FIFA rankings and who finished the tournament with the title:
- 1994: Germany (Champion: Brazil)
- 1998: Brazil (Champion: France)
- 2002: France (Champion: Brazil)
- 2006: Brazil (Champion: Italy)
- 2010: Brazil (Champion: Spain)
- 2014: Spain (Champion: Germany)
- 2018: Germany (Champion: France)
- 2022: Brazil (Champion: Argentina)
Argentina’s schedule in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup
The Argentine team’s journey to try to break historical writing begins in the group stage of the competition, with three matches scheduled for Brasília time:
- Argentina x Algeria – 16/06, at 10pm
- Argentina x Austria – 22/06, at 2pm
- Argentina x Jordan – 27/06, at 11pm
In the Brazilian market, the complete broadcast of all matches of the 2026 World Cup will be carried out live on CazéTV. The digital channel is available to subscribers of the Disney+ streaming platform, without the need for fees or additional costs for the service.
