Hossam Tolan Discusses World Cup Favorites and Surprises About Portugal

Hossam Tolan, the former Zamalek star, shared his insights on the teams favored to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing doubts about Portugal’s chances of securing the title.

The tournament is set to kick off on June 11 and will conclude on July 19, featuring 48 teams from various continents.

In an exclusive interview with “Al-Aweek” portal, Tolan identified perennial favorites such as Brazil, Spain, Argentina, and France as the leading contenders for the championship.

He stated, “Portugal is not among the favorites to win the tournament. I believe this edition will be competitive due to the number of teams vying for the title.”.

Commenting on African teams, Tolan mentioned that several nations could create surprises in the World Cup, including Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, and Congo, which he noted plays modern football effectively.

2026 World Cup Groups

Group A: Mexico – South Africa – South Korea – Czech Republic.

Group B: Canada – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Qatar – Switzerland.

Group C: Brazil – Morocco – Haiti – Scotland.

Group D: United States – Paraguay – Australia – Turkey.

Group E: Germany – Curaçao – Ivory Coast – Ecuador.

Group F: Netherlands – Japan – Sweden – Tunisia.

Group G: Belgium – Egypt – Iran – New Zealand.

Group H: Spain – Cape Verde – Saudi Arabia – Uruguay.

Group I: France – Senegal – Iraq – Norway.

Group J: Argentina – Algeria – Austria – Jordan.

Group K: Portugal – Democratic Republic of Congo – Uzbekistan – Colombia.

Group L: England – Croatia – Ghana – Panama.