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Traditional football powerhouses such as the national teams of Brazil, Argentina and France remain the favourites to lift the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite the growing influence of African nations, according to former national goalkeeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat.
As the tournament heads into its latter stages, Khairul Fahmi, fondly known as Apek, said this year’s World Cup has been one of the most unpredictable in recent memory, with several European heavyweights already eliminated from the tournament.
“We’ve got Argentina, France and Morocco still in the mix, alongside several African underdogs. That’s what makes this World Cup so exciting,” he told TRP when contacted.
Khairul Fahmi said that the tournament has witnessed a shift in the balance of power, with African nations making deeper runs than in previous editions. Nine out of the 10 African teams that qualify for this year’s World Cup have advanced into the knockout stage.
“In the past, we always expected the latter stages to be dominated by European teams and South American. This time, African teams have really stepped up.”
He also pointed to the improved performances of countries from the Americas that are not traditionally considered title favourites, saying their progress reflected the narrowing gap between football’s elite and the chasing pack.
However, Khairul Fahmi cautioned against writing off Europe’s established giants despite a string of surprise exits.
“We still have to be realistic. European teams remain among the strongest in the world, while Argentina and Brazil are always capable of going all the way, even if Brazil haven’t looked as dominant as before.”
He also praised Japan for their disciplined and entertaining style of play, saying the Asian side has once again justified the hype surrounding them.
Japan was just eliminated earlier today after losing 2-1 to Brazil, while Germany and the Netherlands have been shown the exit after losing on penalty shoot-out to Paraguay and Morocco, respectively.
On Portugal and the hopes of seeing legendary forward Cristiano Ronaldo finally win the World Cup, Khairul Fahmi said the Europeans possess enough quality to reach the final.
“It’s not impossible for Portugal to go all the way and become world champions. They certainly have the quality.”
He described Portugal’s midfield as one of the strongest at the tournament, although he believes the team is still missing one crucial element to truly complete its title-winning formula.
“The midfield is among the best in the competition because they control both the game and the defence. They just need to find that missing piece.”
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