World Cup 2026: Predictions go digital as Al replaces ‘Paul the Octopus’

Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are becoming the new source of World Cup predictions, taking over the role once played by Paul the Octopus, the famous sea creature that correctly predicted several matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

As the 2026 World Cup approaches, many fans, researchers, and organizations are asking AI systems to predict which country will lift the trophy.

Different AI chatbots have different favourites. OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google’s Gemini have all predicted Spain as a strong contender to win the tournament. French AI chatbot Le Chat, developed by Mistral, believes France will emerge victorious, while Chinese AI models DeepSeek and Qwen are backing Argentina.

The growing interest in AI predictions reflects how much technology has evolved since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. At that time, generative AI tools were still relatively new, with ChatGPT having been released only days before the tournament began.

Several institutions are now testing how accurate AI can be when forecasting football results. Analysts at Bank of America found that Microsoft’s Copilot chatbot rated Spain and France as the most likely champions. Technology website Tom’s Guide also asked ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for their predictions, with all three naming Spain as their top choice and France as their second.

Researchers at Germany’s Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) are taking a more scientific approach. Through a project called SoccerArena, they are tracking how accurately various AI models predict individual World Cup matches.

According to researcher Stefan Feuerriegel, the project aims to determine whether AI systems can provide reliable support in real-world decision-making situations. The researchers are evaluating not only predictions based on a model’s existing knowledge but also how well AI uses up-to-date information such as injuries, team selections, and betting odds.

Beyond predictions, AI is increasingly being used throughout football. Researchers say coaches, medical teams, referees, and analysts are already benefiting from AI-powered tools. While robots are not yet coaching teams or scoring goals, AI is playing an important role behind the scenes and could influence the success of teams at the tournament.

As excitement builds for the 2026 World Cup, AI has become football’s newest predictor, replacing octopuses and other lucky charms with data-driven forecasts.