The expanded 48-team format of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with 12 groups of four sides each contesting three group-stage matches, creates pronounced competitive imbalances that underpin the 98% implied probability of at least one winless team. Qualification campaigns have produced a mix of established powers and lower-ranked or debutant nations from CONCACAF, AFC, and CAF, many of whom will likely draw against superior European or South American squads with stronger recent form and depth. Historical World Cup results consistently feature multiple sides exiting without a victory under similar structures. While a perfectly even draw or an unusual run of upsets could theoretically alter the outcome, the depth of the field and typical group-stage dynamics make such scenarios remote.