EA 2026 World Cup Simulation: Spain Wins, Yamal Missed

EA’s simulation for the 2026 Men’s World Cup ended up being unusually accurate on the biggest question—who would lift the trophy—after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 on July 19. But the same forecast badly missed the mark on individual scoring, including its call for Spain’s Lamine Yamal to top the tournament’s goals.

Spain wins, simulation keeps a perfect trophy streak

EA’s 2026 simulation predicted Spain would win the tournament, and that outcome matched reality when Spain beat Argentina 1-0 on July 19. The model’s title picks have been correct for five consecutive Men’s World Cups, including:

Spain winning (2010)
Germany winning (2014)
France winning (2018)
Argentina winning (2022)
Spain winning (2026)

It’s been even longer since the simulation missed a winner. The last time it failed to pick the champion was in 2006, when it chose the Czech Republic—only for the team to fail to get out of the group stage.

Top-scorer prediction missed: Mbappé led with 10

While the simulation nailed the champion, it did not come close with its tournament top-scorer forecast. ESPN reported that the simulation expected Spain’s 19-year-old Lamine Yamal to finish as the overall leading goalscorer in his first World Cup.

That prediction failed to materialize. Kylian Mbappé ended the tournament as the overall top scorer with 10 goals in 769 minutes played, while Yamal scored one goal during the tournament.

EA Sports FC 26 shifts away from official World Cup branding

Because EA no longer holds the FIFA license, the newest title, EA Sports FC 26, does not feature official World Cup branding. Instead, the game has received a “World’s Game” update that includes a 48-team tournament mode.

While the mode is described as legally distinct from the World Cup, it is effectively presented in a closely related form to a World Cup-style tournament.

Alternative: a Netflix-updated World Cup game

For players looking specifically for an officially licensed FIFA World Cup experience, Netflix launched a new game that is updated as the tournament unfolds.