Paul the Octopus set the standard in 2010. Eight knockout matches, eight correct predictions, one global hysteria. Since then, every World Cup has had its animal oracle. For 2026, it is the animals of Guadalajara Zoo in Mexico — and they have already started talking.
Two elephants at Guadalajara Zoo walked to the Mexico side of a makeshift pitch, predicting Mexico will beat South Africa in the World Cup opening match on June 11. Gorillas subsequently chose Spain over Uruguay. A puma and giraffes are also making predictions for upcoming fixtures.
| Animal | Match | Prediction | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two elephants | Mexico vs South Africa (Jun 11) | Mexico | Pending |
| Gorillas Chenchi and Faustina | Spain vs Uruguay | Spain | Pending |
| Puma | TBC | TBC | Pending |
| Giraffes | TBC | TBC | Pending |
Paul the Octopus was based at the Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen, Germany. At the 2010 World Cup — hosted, coincidentally, by South Africa — Paul correctly predicted all seven of Germany's matches, plus the Spain vs Netherlands final. A 12/14 record across the tournament. He was right more often than most football pundits.
The method: two boxes, each containing a mussel, labelled with the flags of the two competing teams. Whichever box Paul opened first was his prediction. He died in October 2010, four months after the tournament.
Since Paul, the tradition has continued. Animals at zoos and aquariums worldwide make predictions for every World Cup. Most are forgotten. Paul remains the benchmark.
Mexico is a co-host of the 2026 World Cup. Guadalajara — where the zoo is based — hosts Group A matches, including South Korea vs Czechia on June 11. The city has a direct stake in the tournament. Using local animals to generate predictions is both a marketing exercise and a genuine cultural moment.
Zookeeper Ivan Reynoso confirmed the predictions will continue throughout the tournament: "The idea is that the animals are going to make predictions about different matches that will be played."
The WWTM Oracle Wars tracks 10 different prediction methods — The Simpsons, EA Sports, Goldman Sachs, Polymarket, the Sheikh Theory, IShowSpeed, and now the Guadalajara Zoo animals. Every oracle picks a winner and we track accuracy until July 19.
The zoo currently predicts Mexico to beat South Africa and Spain to win their opening match. Neither is controversial. The real test comes if a gorilla predicts a major upset.
"The AI gives Mexico a 68% win probability against South Africa. The elephants agree. That is either reassuring or entirely meaningless. We will know which on June 11."
The Simpsons, EA Sports, Paul's successors, the Sheikh Theory, Polymarket — and now the Zoo. Which oracle do you trust?
See The Oracle Wars