World Cup 2026 winner and 7 more predictions from The Simpsons that can come true
In a world where we're all feeling a little uncertain about our futures, it's perhaps no surprise that we look for the predictions of prophets nearly everywhere. And where better than The Simpsons which has done a miraculous job of predicting future events - both directly and thematically.
The world of mystics boasts some famous faces. Sure, there's Nostradamus, then we've got Baba Vanga. Heck, there's even Paul the Octopus (RIP to a legend).
Right now, a huge percentage of the world's population are pretty invested in the World Cup which runs until 19 July. And like with any TV show, movie, book, or live event, knowing how it ends is just too much of a temptation. Is football finally coming home? Or will Cristiano Ronaldo will complete his clean sweep and finally get his hands on the iconic trophy?
When it comes to nailing predictions, there are few better sources than our friends over in Springfield, with the writers of the classic Simpsons TV show coming up with some memorable and obscure correct calls over the years, whether it's Donald Trump becoming President or Lady Gaga's Super Bowl performance.
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And it turns out that the animated show also had a potential answer for this summer's tournament, as back in 1997, the show had an episode called The Cartridge Family where Homer and Marge went to see a football match at the Springfield Stadium, which had some alarming similarities to the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the World Cup final is set to take place.
The match was billed in the episode as 'Which nation is the greatest on Earth?', and saw Portugal facing off against Mexico, so it seems as if those will be our somewhat surprising finalists. In the fictional football match it was Mexico who triumphed 1-0, which would see Ronaldo miss out at the final hurdle while the joint-hosts get to celebrate in their neighbouring country.
Given Mexico and Portugal are on opposite sides of the draw, the final is a very real possibility - if Portugal can get past Croatia first on 3 July.
Likewise, Mexico beat Ecuador 2-0 on 1 July, one step closer to a final in a home World Cup - with a huge showndown against England next up after the Three Lions beat DR Congo in a nervy 2-1 victory.
This isn't the only prediction that Mexicans in particular will be hoping comes true in the coming years, as The Simpsons also had some pretty bold ideas about what the future might look like, and we're seemingly not that far off on a few of them.
A classic flash-forward of the show takes us to 2051, which hauntingly is only 25 years away, and it shows Lisa and Marge living on Mars. Considering Elon Musk's hopes and dreams of moving humanity to the red planet, despite recently becoming the first ever trillionaire on this one, this space adventure doesn't seem too unrealistic.
Another common suggestion is that hover cars will become the norm and while we are getting some driverless robot taxis in the near future, it's difficult to see hover cars arriving any time soon given the government has spent billions and many years making very little progress on a single train track between London and Birmingham.
A third strange prediction is that Big Ben is likely to go digital, and considering that some kids in school these days apparently can't tell the time for traditional clocks, it's perhaps not even that out of the question. You'd imagine that most sensible folks would protest that decision but the way things are going, who knows?
Number four sees the introduction of a female president after Trump, with Lisa Simpson shown to be taking over in the White House in the show. Although that is impossible since she is fictional, we could well have Kamala Harris if she decides to run again - or the likes of rising star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez step forward to take on Trump's Republican successor.
Another prediction from the episode 'Future-drama' sees the world's elite have access to underwater homes. Although it seems most are focusing on underground bunkers to live in because of the ominous threat of nuclear war, perhaps they are working on building themselves a new mansion under the sea without our knowledge.
Artificial intelligence is already causing havoc in the current age but The Simpsons suggests that it might well be virtual and augmented reality technology which leads to some problems, which certainly seems likely given the escapism that they provide from the real world.
Finally, one which The Simpsons has already got right is that we'd have a sequel to The Simpsons Movie, 20 years on from the first. And believe it or not, that's already been announced for 2027. That one feels a bit easier to predict, but I'll give it to them.
Topics:Â The Simpsons, World Cup, Football
James Moorhouse