Why Spain aren’t called ‘unofficial world champions’ even after winning the World Cup
Even though Spain took home the 2026 World Cup trophy, another surprise team has earned the title of ‘unofficial world champions’. After six weeks filled with thrilling games and some drama across North America, the 2026 World Cup came to an end. Spain had an amazing run, letting in only one goal all tournament, and won the final 1-0 against Argentina.
Some people thought Spain didn’t look very strong at the start, but by the end, their performance this summer was one of the best in recent times. As the Euro 2024 winners, they proved they’re the top team right now.
But there’s another team that can claim a special title — the ‘unofficial world champions’ — and it’s not Spain. That honor goes to Turkey, who, even though they were knocked out early during the group stage, earned this title after beating the United States 3-2.
Turkey’s 2026 World Cup wasn’t great overall. They were already out before their last group game against the US, having failed to score against Australia and Paraguay despite many attempts. Still, their win over the US gave them the ‘unofficial world champions’ title, which the US had held since beating Australia 2-0 earlier in the tournament.
This ‘Unofficial Football World Championships’ is a fun fan-made way to track the best international team in the world. It started back in 1967 when Scotland beat England in the Nations Championship. The idea is simple: to win the title, a team has to beat the current unofficial champions during a match.
England first won this title after beating Scotland 4-2 in 1873. Since then, the Home Nations—England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—have mostly held the title. Scotland has held it the most, winning it 86 times, last in 2007. England has won it 73 times, last back in 2000. Wales and Northern Ireland have also claimed it several times.
Turkey, the current holders, have won it four times and are tied in 33rd place worldwide. Teams like Curacao, Israel, Sierra Leone, South Korea, and Venezuela have each held the title once. It’s a unique way to keep track of soccer bragging rights beyond the official World Cup!