A group of meerkats at Drusillas Park in Sussex has maintained a perfect record predicting England's outcomes in the current World Cup, forecasting another win for the Three Lions in their semi-final match against Argentina.
The meerkats' prediction method involves two buckets of food, each marked with a national flag. The bucket that garners more attention from the animals indicates the predicted winner. According to Jacinta Dawe, Zoo Section Leader at Drusillas Park, the prediction for the England-Argentina match was particularly clear, with the England bucket receiving almost all of the meerkats' attention.
This is not the first time the meerkats have been involved in football prognostication. During the 2024 Euros, they reportedly made accurate predictions for every match leading up to the final.
Their success places them among a growing number of animals that have gained attention for predicting sports outcomes, a trend popularized by Paul the Octopus during the 2010 World Cup. Other animal forecasters include Moo Deng, a pygmy hippo who predicted an Argentinian win, and Jane, a young chimpanzee who has predicted five out of six England matches correctly. In Canada, a goldfish named Swimbappe has also been making predictions, though with a less consistent track record.
England is set to face Argentina in the semi-final match. The result will determine whether the meerkats' flawless prediction record continues and if England advances to its first World Cup final since 1966. The semi-final is scheduled to take place in Atlanta.