England have been tipped as one of the teams to achieve World Cup glory as former Spain defender Nacho Monreal told GB News his favourites for the tournament.
Although listing the Three Lions as one of the biggest challengers, the former Premier League star argued Spain are still "probably the favourites" to win the World Cup.
Current projections place Spain among the favourites, supported by a squad that combines emerging talent with established international experience.
Their recent performances suggest a team with strong tactical structure and consistency, positioning them well for a deep run in the tournament.
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Speaking exclusively with GB News via BetMGM, Monreal said: "I think Spain is doing so good recently.
"They won the last Euros. They qualified for the next World Cup. They are in a good moment.
"If you see them, they have a typical Spanish play, pass to pass, and they control the games. They are really good, in my opinion.
"Right now, they are probably the favourites to win the World Cup."
England have been tipped as one of the teams to achieve World Cup glory
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However, the former Spanish defender, who played in the 2018 World Cup, also listed England among four teams he believes have a good chance of competing for the trophy.
When asked who could challenge Spain, Monreal told the People's Channel: "I think probably France, England, also Brazil, Argentina.
"It's not going to be easy, you know, because there are always four or five top, top national teams.
"All of them have really good chances to win it."
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Spain is among the favourites for the 2026 World Cup
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He added: "If you want to win the World Cup, you need to be the best and you need to beat any single national team."
England presents a strong case as potential champions.
Their core group of players is approaching peak age, and recent tournament results indicate progress.
The challenge for England will be maintaining consistency throughout the tournament and converting promising performances into decisive victories.
England presents a strong case as potential champions
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Other nations, including Argentina, Germany, Brazil, France and Portugal, are viewed as credible challengers.
The group stage draw will commence at 5pm on Friday, with a new expanded 48-team format.
Teams will be placed into four pots of 12, based on Fifa rankings and host-nation status.
The three hosts, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, are included in Pot 1 alongside the nine highest-ranked teams.
The group stage draw will commence at 5pm on Friday
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From these pots, 12 groups of four will be drawn.
Fifa will maintain confederation balance by ensuring most groups do not feature two teams from the same region, with some flexibility given to Europe’s larger contingent.
This edition also introduces a "tennis-style” bracket designed to keep top-ranked nations apart until the later rounds.
That means favourites such as France, Argentina, Spain, and England are unlikely to meet before the semifinals or final, adding layers of intrigue to potential matchups later in the tournament.
Teams will be placed into four pots of 12, based on Fifa rankings and host-nation status
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Of the 48 total spots, 42 have already been secured.
The remaining six will be filled through playoffs in March 2026, though placeholders for those positions will already appear in Friday’s draw, most likely in Pot 4.
With the groups confirmed, Fifa is expected to publish the full match schedule, including venues and kick-off times, the following day.