EA Sports FC predicts World Cup winner for fifth time

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time on Sunday, July 19, to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, securing the nation's second title. The victory also extended an unusual streak for video game publisher Electronic Arts, which correctly predicted the tournament's outcome for a fifth consecutive time.

The final, held in the United States, was a tense affair that remained scoreless through regulation before Spanish forward Ferran Torres netted the decisive goal. The win marks Spain's first World Cup triumph since 2010.

Days before the tournament began on June 11, the official account for EA Sports FC, the publisher's soccer video game series, posted a prediction that Spain would be champion. The forecast was generated by simulating the entire tournament within the latest installment of the game, EA Sports FC 26. The simulation process uses detailed player statistics and artificial intelligence to model every match from the group stage through the final.

This year's correct call continues a run that began in 2010. The company's simulations accurately forecast Spain's win that year, followed by Germany's victory in 2014, France's in 2018, and Argentina's in 2022. The streak spans a...