By J.T. CHADWELL & JOHN MOOREHOUSE
The 2026 World Cup is finally here.
It’s an event where passionate fans travel in droves to support their chosen teams.
Where regional identities, and rivalries, run deep.
And where the same teams seem to be top contenders, year in and year out.
If you follow college football, all of this probably sounds familiar.
With group play starting tomorrow, we’re getting you ready by looking at each team in the 48-team field … and their “twin team” from the world of FBS college football.
Enjoy.
GROUP A
Mexico
Best finish: Third place (1970)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Florida
El Tri is one of the Cup co-hosts this year, and traditionally formidable at home like the Gators. Also like Florida, Mexico has been a shadow of its former self in the 2020s.
South Korea
Best finish: Fourth place (2002)
Last Cup: Round of 16, 2022
CFB Twin: Arkansas
Like the Hogs, the South Koreans always have some decent players. South Korea also is usually poorly coached… also like the Hogs.
South Africa
Best finish: Group stage (2010, as host)
Last Cup: 2010
CFB Twin: South Alabama
South Africa and South Alabama have three things in common: 1) their name starts with South; 2) the same initials; and 3) the same chance – nil – of ever winning it all.
Czechia
Best finish: Runner-up as Czechoslovakia 2x (1934, 1962)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2006
CFB Twin: Cal
Back in the World Cup for the first time in 20 years, Czechia is forgotten on the international soccer stage … kinda like the Golden Bears are in football.
GROUP B
Canada
Best finish: Group stage 2x (1986, 2022)
Last Cup: 2022
CFB Twin: Vanderbilt
More like “Oh. Canada.” Winless all time in the World Cup, the Canucks are never taken seriously in international soccer, even when they should be good. Just like the Commodores.
Switzerland
Best finish: Quarterfinals 3x (1934, 1938, 1954)
Last Cup: Round of 16, 2022
CFB Twin: Colorado
Both beautiful places to visit. Both never a serious contender, at least in the past several decades. At least the Swiss don’t have to deal with Coach Prime.
Qatar
Best finish: Group stage (2022, as host)
Last Cup: 2022
CFB Twin: UMASS
Qatar joins South Africa as the only World Cup hosts ever to get eliminated in group play. The Minutemen receive huge subsidized money and are terrible. Meanwhile, Qatar funnels big dollars into its soccer program with no results.
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Best finish: Group stage (2014)
Last Cup: 2014
CFB Twin: Purdue
Worst European side in the 2026 field, meet the worst FBS power conference team. A perfect match!
GROUP C
Brazil
Best finish: Champions 5x (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Last Cup: Quarterfinals, 2022
CFB Twin: Alabama
The bluest of bluebloods in their respective sports, with extremely passionate fan bases spoiled by success and hoping for a return to the salad days after disappointing results of late.
Morocco
Best finish: Fourth place (2022)
Last Cup: 2022
CFB Twin: Indiana
Morocco came out of nowhere to make the semifinals in the last Cup, just how Hoosiers football has burst on the scene in the past two years.
Scotland
Best finish: Group stage 8x
Last Cup: 1998
CFB Twin: Duke
Soccer is second tier to golf in Scotland, just like basketball always will top football at Duke.
Haiti
Best finish: Group stage (1974)
Last Cup: 1974
CFB Twin: Coastal Carolina
Just like Haiti grabs players of French descent not good enough to make France’s team, Coastal can poach from Clemson and South Carolina.
GROUP D
United States
Best finish: Third place (1930)
Last Cup: Round of 16, 2022
CFB Twin: Tennessee
Team USA and the Vols are made for each other – always setting high expectations, and always falling short.
Australia
Best finish: Third place (2006)
Last Cup: Round of 16, 2022
CFB Twin: Washington
Not great. Capable of springing an upset. Really, really good out of nowhere earlier this decade (the Huskies’ 2023 team played for the national title).
Paraguay
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2010)
Last Cup: 2010
CFB Twin: Kansas State
Each is an average team with zero chance of beating a top-tier opponent.
Türkiye
Best finish: Third place (2002)
Last Cup: 2002
CFB Twin: BYU
Both are fun to watch. Both are wildly inconsistent.
GROUP E
Germany
Best finish: Champions 4x (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Southern Cal
Two traditional blue bloods known for their attack prowess, neither of which is a top-tier team at this time.
Ecuador
Best finish: Round of 16 (2006)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Iowa
Iowa wants to win games 12-10. Ecuador wants every game to go to penalties after 120 scoreless minutes.
Ivory Coast
Best finish: Round of 16 3x (2006, 2010, 2014)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Tulane
Both teams have enough talent to pull off a surprise win and zero chance of making a deep run.
Curaçao
Best finish: World Cup debut
Last Cup: N/A
CFB Twin: ETSU
We know, we know, ETSU is an FCS team, but what happens to Curacao in this World Cup is what would happen to the Bucs if they played an FBS schedule.
GROUP F
Netherlands
Best finish: Runner-up 3x (1974, 1978, 2010)
Last Cup: Quarterfinals, 2022
CFB Twin: Oregon
The resemblance is uncanny. Cool uniforms? Check. Capable of making a run? Check. Always falls short of winning it all? Check.
Japan
Best finish: Round of 16 4x (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
Last Cup: 2022
CFB Twin: Utah
Regardless of skill and talent, both always seem to be a tough out. Typically highly organized and well-coached.
Tunisia
Best finish: Group stage 7x
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: East Carolina
Honestly forgot Tunisia was in the field, much like I had to be reminded that East Carolina still plays FBS football.
Sweden
Best finish: Third place 2x (1950, 1994)
Last Cup: Quarterfinals, 2018
CFB Twin: Clemson
Both the Swedes and the Tigers were really good at one time. Emphasis on were.
GROUP G
Belgium
Best finish: Third place (2018)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Texas A&M
Tons of talent all over the field. Zero hardware to back it up. It’s like looking in a mirror!
Iran
Best finish: Group stage 6x
Last Cup: 2022
CFB Twin: Western Michigan
Both are highly regarded when playing in their own region. Both have no chance of competing against the big boys.
Egypt
Best finish: Round of 16 (1934)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2018
CFB Twin: Ohio
Both teams rely on their defense to stay competitive.
New Zealand
Best finish: Group stage 2x
Last Cup: 2010
CFB Twin: Arkansas State
The Redwolves have Butch Jones as their coach. At least New Zealand is good at rugby.
GROUP H
Spain
Best finish: Champions (2010)
Last Cup: Round of 16, 2022
CFB Twin: Ohio State
Spain is the safest bet to win this World Cup even though other teams might possess more overall talent. Just like the Buckeyes.
Uruguay
Best finish: Champions 2x (1930, 1950)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Auburn
Can compete with the big boys, and maybe even beat them on occasion, but ultimately falls back to earth.
Saudi Arabia
Best finish: Round of 16 (1994)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Kent
Kent can give up 80 on any given Saturday. The Saudis can surrender 10 goals in any fixture. Sounds like a match.
Cape Verde
Best finish: World Cup debut
Last Cup: N/A
CFB Twin: FIU
Both teams have some nice athletes, but not enough of them to translate to wins at the top level.
GROUP I
France
Best finish: Champions (1998, 2018)
Last Cup: Runner-up, 2022
CFB Twin: Georgia
Each is probably the best team in its sport in the past decade. France at its best can beat anyone. So can the Bulldogs. The team most expected to win, but that fell short recently. At least France actually reached the title game.
Senegal
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2002)
Last Cup: Round of 16, 2022
CFB Twin: Boise State
Like Boise State, Senegal can play with the big boys. Probably the most dangerous of the teams from Africa and Asia.
Norway
Best finish: Round of 16 (1938)
Last Cup: 1998
CFB Twin: Texas Tech
Both transformed from mid-tier to serious threats in the last three to four years. Unlike Texas Tech, Norway won’t be the team everyone hates. That’s what happens when your star player (Haaland, for Norway) isn’t plagued by a gambling scandal.
Iraq
Best finish: Group stage (1986)
Last Cup: 1986
CFB Twin: Missouri State
Missouri State is now fully eligible in the FBS. Iraq isn’t brand new to the show but, after four decades away from the World Cup, it probably feels like forever.
GROUP J
Argentina
Best finish: Champions 3x (1978, 1986, 2022)
Last Cup: 2022
CFB Twin: Texas
Another pair of blue bloods, loaded with talent, and sure to be a tough out for any opponent in 2026. Good enough to win it all? We shall see. Texas wishes it had a finisher like Messi.
Austria
Best finish: Third place (1954)
Last Cup: Group stage, 1998
CFB Twin: Virginia
All of a sudden Austria has a fantastic attack after years of having a terrible team. Just like the Wahoos, who set a program record for wins in 2025 with their 11-2 finish after years of mediocrity.
Algeria
Best finish: Round of 16 (2014)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Georgia Southern
Just like Southern, a solid mid-major in recent years, Algeria could give a big team problems on any given day.
Jordan
Best finish: World Cup debut
Last Cup: N/A
CFB Twin: Troy
Jordan and the Trojans can both surprise you with how well they can play offense.
GROUP K
Portugal
Best finish: Third place (1966)
Last Cup: Quarterfinals, 2022
CFB Twin: LSU
Portugal is the sexy pick coming into the World Cup, has a ton of firepower, and a polarizing presence in Ronaldo. Just like LSU with its new coach Lane Kiffin.
Colombia
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2014)
Last Cup: Round of 16, 2018
CFB Twin: UNLV
Flashy and fun. Not quite championship material on paper, but capable of scoring a surprise win or two.
Uzbekistan
Best finish: World Cup debut
Last Cup: N/A
CFB Twin: Kennesaw State
Kennesaw made a splash in its first FBS season by winning Conference USA. Uzbekistan could do the same and sneak into knockout play.
Congo DR
Best finish: Group stage (1974, as Zaire)
Last Cup: 1974
CFB Twin: Navy
Both play an unconventional style that can give favored, more talented opponents fits. But it only works for so long.
GROUP L
England
Best finish: Champions (1966)
Last Cup: Quarterfinals, 2022
CFB Twin: Notre Dame
The Three Lions have history as a perennial contender but never can hoist the trophy. Sounds pretty similar to the guys in gold helmets.
Croatia
Best finish: Runner-up (2018)
Last Cup: Third place, 2022
CFB Twin: Miami
Croatia has been one of the best teams in the past two World Cups. Then there’s Miami football, which stormed to the CFP title game in January as the No. 11 seed.
Panama
Best finish: Group stage (2018)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2018
CFB Twin: San Diego State
Like SDSU, Panama is a mid-tier team that’s totally capable of beating an opponent that comes in too confident.
Ghana
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2010)
Last Cup: Group stage, 2022
CFB Twin: Appalachian State
At one time you were scared to play Ghana or the Mountaineers. No longer.