Argentina lost its first match to Saudi Arabia at Qatar 2022, but Lionel Messi and company went on to lift the World Cup trophy. So, it's possible to bounce back from an early loss and win it all. There have also been quite a few undefeated teams throughout this tournament's rich history.
Would this new 48-team configuration make it harder to finish the World Cup undefeated?
Let's see what Polymarket traders are predicting.
Will There Be an Unbeated World Cup Champion?
It's easier to list the champions who have lost a game on their path to glory than those who haven't.
Several factors are involved. The first editions of the World Cup featured way fewer teams, and a couple of them consisted purely of knockout rounds (1934 and 1938). There is also, of course, the fact that you cannot lift the trophy if you lose after the group stage.
So, it's even more remarkable that some teams lost a game in the group stage and still made it all the way. That feat has only happened five times over 22 World Cups: West Germany (1954, 1974), Argentina (1978, 2022) and Spain (2010).
There's even a national team that drew all three group-stage matches before going on a winning streak at the very end: Italy in 1982.
With a new 48-team tournament in 2026, the champion will have to play eight games instead of the usual seven. However, the number of matches a team can lose without automatically saying goodbye remains the same — just the three group matches.
The other consequence of a bloated tournament is a drop in quality, so top teams should have an easier time against lesser opponents in the group stage, thereby increasing the chances of seeing another unbeaten champion.
There are plenty of candidates, from European powerhouses Spain, France, Germany, England and Portugal, to South American giants Argentina and Brazil.
Check out the possible paths for any of them, but remember this market only needs a Yes or No answer.
