Even if you’re not a sports fan, it’s hard not to get excited about the current World Cup. With the Knockout tournament well underway, we are now down to eight quarter-finals, each representing their country and fighting for world glory.
As a playwright, this made me think about things differently. What if there was a World Cup of video games, and which nations would have the best title to put forward as their representative? How will all these levels move?
As such, I’ve ranked each of the eight remaining World Cup contenders to see which one has managed to produce the best video game so far. To be sure, all nations had a good game to play, but as for the actual action on the field, a person it should come out at the top. Let’s start things off with Switzerland.
8
Domestication
in Switzerland
In the real World Cup, Switzerland just won a grinder of a penalty shootout against Colombia to advance to the Final Eight. In the video game world, Switzerland has a few interesting games to choose from, including the popular sim games Farming Simulator and Transport Fever.
I decided to go with Herdling, however, a great under-the-radar indie title that came out in 2025. In this watercolor-themed emotional adventure, you control a Wild Things Are-esque herder of creatures across the Nordic mountains.
It’s not a game that will set the world on fire, but it’s worth a look for fans of emotional indies that will make you feel something.
7
Madison
In Argentina
Argentina is clearly a powerhouse on the pitch thanks to Lionel Messi and the rest of their team. In fact, they are one of the favorites to win it all, despite falling behind Egypt in a highly contested game.
Off the field, the country of Argentina hasn’t made a big mark on the video game world so far compared to others on the list, but it still has a good collection of indies to choose from. Forager was a possible shout out, but after a lot of chaos between the lead developer and the rest of the team that resulted in the game being abandoned after promised updates, we’re going to look at a different approach.
MADiSON is a horror, first-person title that’s doing well enough to spawn a VR version after its original release. It follows the usual horror trope of walking around with a camera, but it becomes more psychological and scary compared to most modern people.
6
A boy of owls
in Norway
Our first two opponents had solid games to play, delivered from here on out, guaranteed bangers. Like their football team, which has been a miracle to make it this far despite the success of Haaland, Norway has several video games on their CV that are better than you might expect.
Released in 2016 to near-universal acclaim, Owlboy is a fantastic action-themed multi-platform adventure/Metroidvania game about controlling our flying hero, who can pick up (literally) friends along the way to progress through the game.
The pixel art here is a highlight, as Owlboy is truly one of the best looking games in the genre. It’s not just a show of art, as Owlboy pairs a great game to keep you invested until the very end.
5
Gris
Spain
Spain are often heavy hitters at the World Cup, and their video game scene in recent years has been strong. Games like RiME, Blasphemous, and a couple of Castlevanias are worth mentioning, but the one that stands out for me is the beautiful and lovely indie, Gris.
It’s not exactly a game that will challenge you in extreme ways in the gameplay department, but it is a straightforward game. good a little indie platformer in terms of both art design and soundtrack.
In fact, the game was so well-received when it came out in 2018 that it ended up winning the Game Awards for Games for Impact, highlighting that this is a journey worth starting.
4
Rayman Origins
Morocco
Going into this list, I honestly wasn’t sure which sports I would choose in Morocco, another country still competing in the World Cup which may have surprised me going into this event. It was then that I discovered that the major video game developers Ubisoft used to have a team called Ubisoft Casablanca, which operated out of the city of the same name in Morocco.
During their day, the best title the team worked on was Rayman Origins, one of the best side-scrolling platforms in the current Ubisoft Rayman adventure. The art in these games is, of course, the most outstanding thing, but Rayman also ranks with other giants in the genre as some of the most exciting platformers of the modern era.
3
Banjo-Kazooie
In England
England is always in the conversation for the World Cup, and is a country with a long and storied history of producing quality video games. In fact, there was a a ton of games to choose from here. Many, however, are United Kingdom titles, such as Rockstar North and GTA. In this list however, and with FIFA excluding the UK from World Cup competition, we’re looking specifically at England.
As such, popular gaming studio Rare is the easiest team to highlight here, but they also have a ton of games that deserve a shout out. Goldeneye 007 on the N64 was a flashy shooter, but it still hasn’t aged too well. The Donkey Kong Country games are, of course, cool classics in their own right.
But I decided to go with Banjo-Kazooie, a 3D platformer that still holds up all these years later as an amazing entry into one of the best genres in sports. There is debate as to whether or not it was actually the best 3D platformer of the era, but still, it has a case. God save Banjo.
2
Baldur’s Gate 3
In Belgium
The top two contenders on this list won’t end up being the actual World Cup champions since they’re on the same side of the bracket, but they’re the top two options to choose from when competing in everyone’s video games.
Larian Studios is located in Belgium, and if you’re in the know, that’s all you need to hear to understand why it’s so high on the list. Larian made Baldur’s Gate 3, which was a Game of the Year winner when it came out, and is arguably one of the greatest RPGs of all time.
It’s crowded, sure, but if you’re a tabletop or Dungeons & Dragons fan willing to invest a good amount of time in the learning curve, there’s really no equivalent to BG3 in the genre.
1
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
France
France might be the favorite to win the World Cup this year, and wouldn’t you know it? And they have the best video game to represent their country out of all the remaining teams. With Ubisoft in the country, there was no shortage of options to choose from here, but there was one clear winner outside of the Ubi umbrella.
French studio Sandfall Interactive released the wildly popular Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 last year, and the game took the world by storm. A JRPG that wasn’t really made in Japan, Clair was the perfect blend of turn-based RPG combat combined with a perfect 10/10 for everything else.
The song is flawless. The story is one of the best in gaming history. Skillfully written and performed. All in all, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is not only the best game of any country left in the World Cup, but also one of the best video games ever released in history. Should you play this game? That will be a tough oui.
