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| King Charles III is a huge Football Fan. |
The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts on 11th June, and fans are eagerly waiting to witness the “world war” live. This is the biggest battle on earth — not limited to just the teams participating, but the majority of the world’s population will join the party too.
Regular football fans might not even get room to show their “expertise in watching the game” or drop stats and interesting info about teams, players, coaches/managers, etc. Seasonal fans will try to hog the “microphones” and won’t let genuine fans speak in the TV rooms. Whatever. We, the seasonal fans of football, proudly dominate others every four years.
While most admirers and commentators talk about performance, history, predictions, and so on, I want to tell you something interesting. You “definitely” cannot ignore this point. So, what’s that?
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| The King’s Gambit: 7 Teams, 1 Crown |
You may know about the “Five Eyes” in international politics — Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. I’m also talking about another “Five Eyes” where there’s no United States. Instead, Scotland is dancing in the corner while leaving England in the centre of the court. If you haven’t noticed yet, let me tell you the fact: the “Five Eyes” of the World Cup. I consider this the “Five Hands” of the King.
Now, read this line with your full attention — there are five 2026 World Cup teams that share one common connection: King Charles III. That means the King is already 10.42% ahead of anyone to win the trophy, while the United Kingdom alone has just a 4.17% chance with England and Scotland. The King and the UK authorities showed a little sympathy by keeping Wales and Northern Ireland out of the race! The football world should say thanks to the King. So pity the teams like Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France, or any team other than “Team King” — they all only have a 2.08% chance to win the World Cup.
The most fascinating part is the United Kingdom itself. Generally, every country feels proud to have one team on the global stage and wants to touch glory with that single team. But the United Kingdom looked at that arrangement and decided a single team wasn’t efficient enough. Instead, it sends both England and Scotland as separate teams, effectively doubling its chances of bringing the trophy home.
The King can be stress-free about Canada as it secured its place automatically as a co-host with Mexico and the United States. England qualified by winning UEFA Group K. Scotland booked its ticket through the UEFA group stage campaign. Australia came through the AFC qualifiers, while New Zealand dominated the OFC route. It would reach 14.58% for the King if Wales and Northern Ireland were there in the show.
It’s no wonder that most monarchs would be delighted to have one national team at the World Cup. However, King Charles appears to be building a football empire to increase his winning percentage in advance. King Charles currently has seven teams flying the broader Commonwealth and Crown connection — England, Scotland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, plus Wales and Northern Ireland waiting in the wings. He even gets a bonus entry.
Is there anyone who follows the same strategy? Yes, there is. The Kingdom of the Netherlands has two teams: the Netherlands and Curaçao. It also has a 4.17% chance to win the trophy. They’ve already left big teams behind, although the tournament hasn’t even started yet.