A decades-old episode of The Simpsons is once again making waves online, with social media users claiming the animated sitcom predicted the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The viral theory points to the 1997 episode The Cartridge Family, in which a television advertisement promotes a soccer match between Mexico and Portugal to determine “which nation is the greatest on Earth.” Many fans have interpreted the scene as evidence that the long-running series foresaw this year’s World Cup final.
However, the claim doesn’t hold up under closer scrutiny.
While the clip featured in the viral posts is genuine, the episode never mentions the 2026 FIFA World Cup or suggests that the fictional Mexico-Portugal match is a World Cup final. Instead, it simply depicts a standalone soccer game with no connection to any real-life tournament.
The theory has also surfaced before. Nearly identical claims circulated online during the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, long before the 2026 tournament was underway.
The rumor has gained renewed attention this year because Mexico is one of the tournament’s host nations, and the current knockout bracket leaves open the possibility that Mexico and Portugal could still meet in the final.
Ironically, the fictional match in The Simpsons doesn’t even produce a winner. The game becomes so dull that the Springfield crowd erupts into a riot before the contest reaches a conclusion.
The belief that The Simpsons can predict future events has become a pop culture phenomenon over the years. Fans often point to storylines that appeared to foreshadow real-world developments, including Donald Trump’s presidency, Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox, and the FIFA corruption scandal.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is scheduled to take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The Simpsons Season 9, Episode 5 literally predicted a Portugal vs Mexico 2026 World Cup Final
The scriptwriters don’t miss. pic.twitter.com/VvPkvoBr1v
— Ohene🚶🏽 (@ik_ohene7) June 8, 2026
This knockout bracket has aligned with the Simpsons’ Mexico 🇲🇽 vs Portugal 🇵🇹 final prediction. Both teams are on opposite sides of the bracket. Do you think this is possible?#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/8fTEzwy5yF
— The Foxxy 🦊One (@foxxydammie) June 28, 2026