Artificial intelligence is being touted as the most transformative technology of the 21st century, changing everything from how people work to how they live. But forget all that—what sports fans want to know is, can it predict who is going to win the World Cup?
According to a new Bank of America Global Research study, “The Beautiful Game: BofA’s World Cup 2026 Guide,” that was shared with Fast Company, approximately 40% of the FIFA fans surveyed are betting on France’s Les Bleus (named after the team’s traditional blue jerseys). However, AI, specifically Microsoft’s Copilot, thinks Spain’s La Roja, or “The Red One,” will take home the gold.
“Our 2026 World Cup survey … suggests that France will lift the trophy in the final,” the report said. “[France’s Kylian] Mbappé is expected to be top scorer and [Spain’s] Lamine Yamal, player of the tournament. … AI concurs, but adds Spain with equal probability to win the World Cup.”
Only time will tell if humans or AI end up being right.
“This tournament marks the transition of artificial intelligence from a support tool to a control layer,” the report added. “AI will analyze thousands of performance metrics in real time, power digital twins of stadiums, and orchestrate operations across three countries. … Total data creation could top 2 exabytes [including] AI, simulations, streaming, and social platforms.”
It also noted that this year’s World Cup will be “the biggest ever,” with more than 75% of the globe engaging with the tournament in some form (watching, attending, or following online). It will provide a boost of up to $41 billion to the global GDP, while supporting over 800,000 jobs, including some 185,000 in the U.S. alone.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in about five weeks on June 11 and runs through July 19. The mammoth soccer tournament is set to feature 48 teams playing over 100 matches and will be hosted for the first time by three countries in North America: Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. Some 6.5 million fans (almost double the previous record) are expected to watch the games in the 16 host cities, including 11 in the U.S.: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle.
The final match is scheduled to take place outside New York City at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19.
Not only has the competition grown, but so has the payout—which is set to be the largest in World Cup history, totaling some $871 million, with Americans paying record-breaking prices for tickets. However, some fans have complained the ticket-buying process is both confusing and expensive, with some saying the seats they purchased aren’t what they thought they were getting.