The Simpsons fans have revisited a show prediction about Mexico reaching the FIFA World Cup final, which has now been disproven after their elimination by England in a dramatic match.
Hosted by Mexico, the 2026 tournament will conclude at the New York/New Jersey stadium on July 19. The Azteca Stadium hosted England’s fluctuating performance, where they secured a 3-2 victory over Mexico, with Harry Kane scoring the decisive goal after two from Jude Bellingham.
The loss not only ends Mexico’s chances but also breaks the fictional prophecy from a 1997 Simpsons episode titled The Cartridge Family. In it, a fictional ad suggested a match between Mexico and Portugal would decide the “greatest nation on Earth.” Though the episode did not reference the 2026 World Cup, the 2026 final’s location and teams led some fans to interpret it as a prescient forecast.
While Portugal remains in the tournament, facing European champions Spain today at 8pm BST, England advances to face Norway in the quarterfinals on July 11 at 10pm BST.
Social media reactions highlighted the irony. One X user noted, “Those Simpsons guys lied to us about Portugal vs Mexico. It’s not looking good Ronaldo nation.” Another expressed cautious hope: “THE SIMPSONS WERE WRONG… but maybe just about Portugal vs Mexico. A girl can hope.” A third remarked, “This Simpsons prediction gave a fan base hope. Mexico is out of the WC.” A final tweet declared, “The Simpsons has failed for the first time ever. This world cup is England’s!”
The long-running series is infamous for uncanny predictions, including Disney’s Fox acquisition and Donald Trump’s presidency. Meanwhile, England’s victory sparked reactions from fans, including Liam Gallagher, who celebrated the team’s unity and near-accurate score prediction via social media.
