It's an unchanging ritual before every major sporting event. Just a few days before the final, social media is flooded with supposed "scoops" straight from Springfield. The 2026 World Cup is no exception: numerous posts loudly proclaim that The Simpsons have already predicted the identity of the future winner.

So, is it fact or pure fiction? Let's sort it out.

A prophecy... 100% artificial

To get straight to the point: no, no official episode of the series has announced the winner of the 2026 edition.

The screenshots and videos currently flooding Facebook, X, TikTok, and WhatsApp are just smoke and mirrors. In most cases, they are:

1. Well-crafted amateur videos .
2. Images generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) .
3. Reinterpretations of old episodes taken out of context.

Their goal? To rack up millions of views, create a buzz and appeal to the chauvinistic side of the fans.

Why does the rumor spread so easily?

The reason the public falls for it so easily is because Matt Groening's series has a solid reputation for being "predictive." In its more than 35 years on air, the show has anticipated (sometimes disturbingly) historical events such as the election of Donald Trump, the advent of smartwatches, and the rise of video calls.

The experts' view: A simple effect of selection

With over 750 episodes spanning politics, pop culture, science, and sports, it's statistically inevitable that some storylines will eventually intersect with reality. It's not magic, it's probability.

Who are the real favorites on the field?

Since Homer Simpson won't be of any help, we must turn to the football experts. For this 2026 edition, predictions focus on the usual favorites:

Continent	declared favorites
South America	Argentina (defending champion), Brazil
Europe	France, Spain, England, Portugal

However, World Cup history loves to defy statistics. No one saw Brazil's triumph coming in 2002, nor Morocco's historic run in 2022, becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals.

In summary

The Simpsons have not yet donned the role of prophecy for 2026. These viral images remain fun entertainment, but the truth will not come from Springfield: it will be played out, cleats on, on the pitch.