Europe's Top Teams Shine in World Cup Warm-Ups

France, Belgium, and others look strong ahead of 2026 tournament

Mar. 30, 2026 at 5:04am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The final FIFA international window before the 2026 World Cup has seen UEFA sides like France, Spain, and Belgium excel in their warm-up matches, while several South American, African, and host-nation teams have more questions than answers heading into the tournament.

Why it matters

These pre-World Cup friendlies provide a glimpse into which national teams may be the top contenders in 2026, with European powerhouses like France and Belgium looking particularly formidable so far.

The details

France closed the March window with two high-level wins, extending their unbeaten run to nine matches. They beat Brazil 2-1 and then a heavily rotated French squad beat Colombia 3-1, with Désiré Doué scoring twice. Other UEFA standouts included Croatia, the Netherlands, Austria, and Germany, all of whom picked up impressive victories over CONMEBOL and CAF opponents.

  • France beat Brazil 2-1 on March 25.
  • France beat Colombia 3-1 on March 28.
  • Croatia beat Colombia 2-1 on March 24.
  • Austria destroyed Ghana 5-1 on March 27.
  • The Netherlands beat Norway 2-1 on March 25.

The players

Kylian Mbappé

The French striker scored the opening goal in the win over Brazil.

Désiré Doué

The French midfielder scored twice in the win over Colombia.

Marcel Sabitzer

The Austrian midfielder had a goal and multiple assists in the 5-1 win over Ghana.

Virgil van Dijk

The Dutch defender scored the equalizing goal in the 2-1 win over Norway.

Florian Wirtz

The German midfielder had a hand in all four goals in the 4-3 comeback win over Switzerland.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“France remains a talent factory, with players like Doué looking ready for serious tournament minutes.”

— Steen Kirby, Author

“The win over Brazil showed France's ability to defend deep and survive late pressure from opponents.”

— Steen Kirby, Author

What’s next

The teams will continue their World Cup preparations with additional friendlies in the coming months before the tournament begins in 2026.

The takeaway

The strong performances by European teams like France, Belgium, and others in these warm-up matches suggest they will be among the top contenders at the 2026 World Cup, while some host nations and South American/African teams still have work to do to reach that level.