July 14, 2026, 12:03 pm | Read time: 4 minutes

Who Will Make the Final: France or Spain?

France has recently been in impressive form: The French team deservedly won 2-0 against Morocco, with captain Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé scoring, thanks also to Bayern star Michael Olise. Spain, on the other hand, had to fight hard for its place in the semifinals. Against Belgium, it was only late in the game that they secured victory: After a tough 1-1 with goals from Fabián Ruiz and Charles De Ketelaere, substitute Mikel Merino headed in the winning goal in the 88th minute. This marks the first time since their World Cup title 16 years ago that Spain’s men’s national team is in a World Cup semifinal.

Unlike in the group stage, there are no draws in the knockout system, and the editorial team’s oracle setup has adapted accordingly. Instead of three bowls with country flags and a draw option, the editorial animals now have only two bowls, filled with the same treat, labeled with the flags of the two semifinalists. It’s a pure head-to-head decision.

Hector and Elvis Agree–But with a Backstory

Labrador Hector, the four-year-old dog of editor Jasmin Reddmann, unhesitatingly headed for the bowl with the Spanish flag. The Australian Shepherd Elvis (3), the dog of PETBOOK author Manuela Lieflaender, also chose La Furia Roja.

Sounds like a clear vote–if it weren’t for the backstory of the two. Since their first prediction for the opening match, which they both correctly called for a German victory against Curaçao, Hector and Elvis have consistently been wrong: They predicted the later loser in the 2-1 against Ivory Coast, the 1-2 against Ecuador, and finally the round of 16 exit in the penalty shootout against Paraguay. A series internally dubbed “the Anti-Oracle.” If you want to know who will lose, apparently you should ask Hector and Elvis.

Whether this is a good or bad omen for Spain is up to everyone to decide for themselves. 

Yumi Disagrees 

Only Pomeranian Yumi, the small dog of editor-in-chief Saskia Schneider, goes against the trend in her own house: She decisively headed for the bowl with the French flag, predicting a win for Mbappé and company.

This makes it 2-1 for Spain in the editorial office–at least mathematically. From a sporting perspective, Hector and Elvis’s Anti-Oracle record could quickly turn this result on its head. Whether Yumi’s underdog prediction for France will prevail will be revealed on Tuesday evening, July 14, 2026, in Dallas.

The Animal Leaders of the World Cup Oracle

With the German national team’s exit, the animal World Cup oracle from Animonda and the Tony Petfluencer Agency takes a new turn. The participating dogs and cats are now predicting not only the matches of the German team but all knockout round games.

In the current edition of “Sport-Wau” or “Sport-Miau,” petfluencer Tobi Langer takes stock for the first time: Who has predicted the most matches correctly so far?

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Currently, five animals are tied at the top with 13 correct predictions each–four dogs and one cat. After the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals, the interim standings will be evaluated before the big “Super Oracle 2026” is crowned after the World Cup final.