As the FIFA World Cup 2026 enters its final stages, a pet cat has become an unlikely internet sensation after reportedly predicting the outcomes of 27 of the tournament’s first 31 matches.

The cat, known simply as “The Cat,” belongs to a couple, Linka Lin of China and Mark of Ireland, who adopted it in 2024. According to the owners, they began placing the flags of the two competing teams in front of the cat before each match and recorded whichever flag it touched first as its prediction.

What started as a lighthearted experiment soon gained attention after several predictions proved accurate, including Argentina’s victory over Egypt. The owners say the cat has correctly predicted 27 of 31 matches played so far.

With only seven matches remaining in the tournament, the couple says they continue to ask the cat to “choose” the winner before each game and then cheer for the selected team, noting that they do not personally support any particular national side.

The cat’s predictions have attracted widespread attention on social media, where many users are eagerly awaiting its pick for the World Cup champion.

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Despite its apparent success, the predictions are widely regarded as a coincidence and a form of entertainment rather than a reliable method of forecasting sporting events, as there is no scientific basis for predicting match results in this way.