Lloyd’s goes for hat-trick of predictions picking England for World Cup glory

Following two successful predictions in the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups, England emerge from Lloyd’s model (based on collective insurable value of players) as 2022 FIFA World Cup champions...

• In total, tournament players have an estimated insurable value of almost £22bn, an increase of nearly £9bn since 2018.
• England legends will give their reaction at an event in the Lloyd’s Building tonight with World Cup hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst and former Lioness Fara Williams.
• Insurance increases resilience and provides security for professional athletes. On an annual basis, Lloyd’s writes over £150m in sports-related Accident and Health (A&H) policies.

Lloyd’s is predicting that England will beat Brazil in the final and emerge victorious at the 2022 FIFA World Cup – with France, Argentina and Spain falling just behind. The same model correctly identified Germany as winners in 2014 and France in 2018.

Research published with the support of the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) ranks the teams based on the collective insurable value of their players. The assessment of each insurable value comprises a variety of metrics such as wages, sponsorships, age and on-field position.

With an estimated insurable value of £3.17bn, England edge out France (£2.66bn) and Brazil (£2.56bn) to claim the top spot. By way of overall comparison, the average insurable value of one England or France player is more than the entire Costa Rica squad.

Using this methodology to play out the tournament in full, Lloyd’s model sees the Three Lions finish top of Group B, before securing knock-out wins against Senegal, France, Spain and Brazil.

The research is designed to emphasise the need for athletes at all levels and in all sports to consider their insurance protection packages and coverage. Lloyd’s unique market model brings together the world’s insurance and sports experts to help players from all levels of the game access bespoke cover and comprehensive risk solutions.

The panel event being held at the Lloyd’s Building in London on 10th November will include Guy Bonwick from Axis, one of the leading A&H sports underwriters, who will discuss how many professional footballers playing below Europe’s top divisions can find themselves in financial instability with relatively short-term contracts and a catastrophic injury could prematurely end their careers.

Bruce Carnegie-Brown, Lloyd’s Chairman, said: ‘Insurance can play a key role in building confidence and resilience, knowing you’re covered if the worst happens.

As Lloyd’s goes for the hat-trick of correct World Cup predictions, we’re shining a spotlight on the need for protection at all levels of the game – professional and amateur – to help clubs, competitors and communities make braver decisions both on and off the pitch.’

Other key findings include:

• New for 2022, Lloyd’s has compiled a ‘Most insurable team’ of players taking part across the tournament. England’s Jude Bellingham is rated the most insurable player at the FIFA World Cup, followed by France’s Kylian Mbappé and Brazil’s Vinícius Júnior.
• Players aged between 18-24 have an average insurable value of £32m compared to £12m for players over 31.
• Forward players’ average insurable value remains the highest at £34m.
• Group B, containing England (£3.17bn), USA (£410m), Wales (£180m), and Iran (£101m), is the strongest group in terms of insurable value, amounting to a cumulative £3.9 billion.