Canada

After decades of being basically invisible on the world soccer stage, this North American nation has finally become a legitimate team worth watching, thanks to a golden generation of players that includes superstar Alphonso Davies. They're riding a wave of momentum as co-hosts of the 2026 tournament, which means they automatically qualify and get to play in front of their home fans for the first time ever at a World Cup. Keep an eye on whether that home crowd energy lifts them past the group stage, which would be a massive milestone for a country still figuring out its soccer identity.