Is France going out? Chris Sutton's World Cup 2026 picks
DIRECT ANSWER: No—BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton does not see France going out. He backs Les Bleus to beat Morocco 2-1, having tipped them as world cup winners from the start. Sutton's quarter-final score picks also call for Spain 3-0 Belgium, Norway 2-3 England, and Argentina 2-1 Switzerland as eight teams fight for semi-final spots.
Key Takeaways
- Sutton backs France 2-1 over Morocco and still backs them to lift the trophy.
- His other score calls: Spain 3-0 Belgium, Norway 2-3 England, Argentina 2-1 Switzerland.
- Microsoft Copilot AI agrees on France and England winners but picks tighter scorelines.
- Sporting Life's Jake Osgathorpe expects all four top seeds to reach the semi-finals.
- ESPN's DraftKings odds make Spain, England and Argentina favourites in their ties.
Is France really going out in the quarter-finals?
The BBC headline asks whether France are heading home, but Sutton's answer is blunt: no. He has backed France to win the tournament from day one and is sticking with them against Morocco on Thursday in Boston.
Morocco can cause trouble, Sutton admits, but he doubts they can play well for a full 90 minutes. He flags their sluggish first half against Canada and Ismael Saibari's injury as reasons France should advance. Desire Doue's bench impact against Paraguay, he adds, underlines Les Bleus' squad depth.
ESPN's Sam Tighe calls France the best team at the 2026 World Cup so far, though he warns Morocco's never-say-die style and fatigue could test them. France opened the quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over Morocco in Foxborough, per ESPN's match coverage—close to Sutton's 2-1 call.
What are Chris Sutton's score predictions?
Sutton went six for eight in the last 16, with Switzerland's penalty shootout win over Colombia his only miss. AI fared worse on Brazil's loss to Norway and Belgium's upset of the USA. With 96 of 104 matches done, BBC predictor users lead Sutton and Copilot 71% to 64%.
For Spain versus Belgium in Los Angeles, Sutton tips 3-0. Spain have not conceded yet, but he thought they were miles off in attack against Portugal until late substitutes Ferran Torres and Mikel Merino rescued them. Belgium's Amadou Onana injury, he argues, leaves them unable to hurt Spain.
The Norway-England clash in Miami is Sutton's thriller pick: 2-3 to England. He calls the Three Lions' 3-2 win over Mexico probably the game of the tournament, but expects Erling Haaland to score—maybe twice. Norway's defence, he says, cannot keep Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham quiet. Copilot backs England 2-1 instead.
Argentina versus Switzerland in Kansas City gets a 2-1 Sutton call. He wants an Argentina-England semi-final and trusts Lionel Messi to deliver another clutch moment, though he expects Switzerland's defence to make it tight. AI goes 2-0 Argentina.
Do betting experts agree with the favourites?
Sporting Life tipster Jake Osgathorpe sees a chalk quarter-final round. He backs Argentina, France, Spain and England—all four top seeds—to reach the semi-finals, pricing an acca at around 21/10. He also fancies all four winning in 90 minutes at 7/1 and predicts France 2-0 Morocco.
ESPN lists DraftKings odds favouring Spain (-340) over Belgium (+260), England (-225) over Norway (+180), and Argentina (-275) over Switzerland (+215). Most ESPN writers back those favourites, though a few pick Norway or Switzerland upsets.
For more offbeat sports angles, browse our Bizarre News & Florida Man section. Full Sutton analysis is on BBC Sport.