Thai dwarf hippo Moo Deng predicts France and England will meet in World Cup final

Moo Deng, a two‑year‑old dwarf hippo at Khao Kheow Open Zoo about 110 km east of Bangkok, was presented with watermelons marked with the flags of the four 2026 FIFA World Cup semifinalists. The animal first approached the fruit bearing the French flag and then the one with the English flag, leading zoo officials to announce that she had predicted a France‑England final.

The zoo noted that this is not the first successful guess: in November 2024 Moo Deng selected a watermelon featuring Donald Trump’s campaign logo, a prediction that coincided with his victory in the U.S. presidential election. Zoo staff stress the activity is purely for animal enrichment and public‑relations, not gambling. Since her birth on 10 July 2024, Moo Deng has become an internet sensation, spawning emojis, a product line and a multi‑day birthday celebration.

The predicted final is scheduled for Sunday in New York, though the hippo’s forecast has no effect on the actual match outcome.