Underdog victories at the World Cup: what were the biggest and best upsets? This analysis examines World Cup upsets since 1993, focusing on matches where a lower-ranked team defeated a higher-ranked opponent. It highlights significant underdog victories across various tournaments, from Bulgaria’s defeat of Germany in 1994 to Morocco’s historic semi-final run in 2022. The upcoming 2026 World Cup, with its expanded format, is predicted to be the most unpredictable yet, with several debutant nations poised for potential surprises.

• The World Cup has a history of underdog victories, with the 1950 USA defeat of England being an early example.
• Analysis of World Cup matches from 1993 onwards, using the Fifa men’s world ranking system, quantifies upsets based on ranking disparity.
• Key upsets include Bulgaria beating Germany (1994), Nigeria defeating Spain (1998), South Korea reaching the semi-finals (2002), and Morocco’s historic semi-final appearance (2022).
• Germany 2006 is noted as the most unpredictable modern World Cup with 21 upsets.
• The 2026 World Cup, with an expanded 48 teams, is anticipated to be highly unpredictable due to format changes, potential heat stress, and the inclusion of debutant nations.
• Potential upsets for the 2026 World Cup include Haiti vs. Scotland, New Zealand vs. Iran, and Cape Verde vs. Uruguay.