The 2026 World Cup is ranking every single match, and a 0-0 draw is somehow on top

There are 104 matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Athletic decided to rank every single one of them, from worst to best, in real time. And right now, the top-ranked match is a 0-0 draw between Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia.

The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, a significant expansion from the 32-team format that had been standard since 1998. More teams means more matches, resulting in a total of 104 games played across three host nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

That’s the premise behind The Athletic’s ranking project, which launched in late June as the tournament kicked off. The series evaluates each game on criteria like quality of play, drama, and raw entertainment value, updating continuously as the knockout rounds progress.

Morocco’s 4-2 victory over Haiti currently sits at number two in the rankings. England’s 4-2 win against Croatia is also among the standout matches.

The Athletic is part of The New York Times Company. The ranking series will continuously update as the tournament progresses, including during knockout rounds, with no major sponsors involved in the initiative.

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