2026 World Cup Picks

Find our soccer World Cup predictions on this page, along with our expert analysis on every match. To kick things off, here is our tournament bracket.

World Cup predictions: our tournament bracket

Our World Cup model has France as taking the cup (odds of +500 with the sportsbooks).

Download our bracket in PDF format

For this World Cup in America, the SportyTrader editorial team is betting on a third title for the French national team.

Why? What are the reasons? We explain it all in our overview of the 2026 World Cup.

World Cup Futures and Predictions

Welcome to our page for the 2026 World Cup! We've got you covered for everything from tournament basics to soccer picks, notable stats, and betting tips for each match during the tournament!

Held in Canada, the United States, and Mexico between June 11th and July 19th, the 23rd FIFA World Cup promises to be magnificent, and there will be a huge number of betting opportunities available at the top sportsbooks.

After the successes of France in 2018 and Argentina in 2022, who will win the World Cup in 2026? How can you increase your WC betting accuracy? What statistics do you need to know? We reveal everything on this page dedicated to predictions for the 2026 World Cup.

Outright Winner prediction: Who will win the World Cup 2026?

Several teams are legitimate contenders for the World Cup title this year, but France is our favorite to win. According to early tournament outrights, the sportsbooks are in agreement.

Didier Deschamps’ French squad has talent to spare and has proven it in the last two tournaments, winning the title in 2018 and finishing runner-up after a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss in the 2022 final...

With players like Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, of course, but also Désiré Doué, Michael Olise coming off a huge season, Dayot Upamecano, and Mike Maignan, France is the betting favorite for many, including the SportyTrader editorial team.

Of course, other in-form nations like Spain, England, Portugal, and Argentina will have their say, and it’s also worth noting that this new 48-team format could shake up the established order.

The bottom line remains: our prediction for the 2026 World Cup winner is: France World Champions!

2026 World Cup Prediction - World Cup odds for the cup

• France +420
• Spain +480
• England +700
• Portugal +850
• Argentina +900
• Brazil +1100
• Germany +1400
• Netherlands +1600
• Norway +2700
• Belgium +3300
• USA +4000
• Morocco +4000
• Colombia +4000
• Japan +4500
• Mexico +5000
• Uruguay +7500
• Croatia +7500
• Switzerland +8000
• Ecuador +8000
• Senegal +10000
• Türkiye +10000
• Austria +10000
• Sweden +12500
• Ivory Coast +12500
• Australia +12500
• Canada +17500
• Scotland +22500
• Egypt +25000
• South Korea +25000
• Algeria +25000
• Bosnia & Herzegovina +40000
• Ghana +40000
• Czechia +50000
• Paraguay +60000
• Iran +100000
• Cape Verde +250000
• Uzbekistan +250000
• Tunisia +250000
• Haiti +250000
• Panama +250000
• Curacao +250000
• Jordan +250000
• Saudi Arabia +250000
• Iraq +250000
• Qatar +250000
• DR Congo +250000
• South Africa +250000
• New Zealand +250000

Odds provided by FanDuel.

World Cup Golden Boot Winner Pick

In terms of interesting futures, the Golden Boot award is reserved for the tournament's top scorer.

Here are the names we think you should keep an eye on ahead of the tournament’s kickoff:

• Kylian Mbappé (France)
• Julian Alvarez (Argentina)
• Harry Kane (England)
• Erling Haaland (Norway)
• Lamine Yamal (Spain)

When it comes to choosing the tournament's top scorer, we recommend betting on Mbappé.

Having been in a league of his own at the World Cup in Qatar with 8 goals, the French prodigy is the favorite to top the scoring charts.

2026 World Cup Golden Boot Odds:

• Kylian Mbappe (France) +600
• Harry Kane (England) +700
• Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) +1100
• Erling Haaland (Norway) +1600
• Lionel Messi (Argentina) +1800
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) +2200
• Julian Alvarez (Argentina) +2500
• Raphinha (Brazil) +2700
• Kai Havertz (Germany) +2700

Odds provided by FanDuel. Open an account with this link and take advantage.

World Cup Top Assists Prediction: Who Will Finish First?

When it comes to individual future bets, you can bet not only on the future top scorer but also on the tournament’s top assist provider.

Here are the players we believe are in the running for this title ahead of the tournament’s kickoff:

• Michael Olise (France)
• Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
• Lionel Messi (Argentina)
• Vinicius Junior (Brazil)
• Lamine Yamal (Spain)

As for our prediction, we recommend taking a shot at the excellent odds for Michael Olise.

The Bayern Munich player had a tremendous season with his club, finishing with 28 assists in the Bavarian jersey.

Player With Most Assists Futures

• Michael Olise (France) +1100
• Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) +1150
• Lamine Yamal (Spain) +1400
• Lionel Messi (Argentina) +1400
• Florian Wirtz (Germany) +1700
• Jamal Musiala (Germany) +2200
• Vinicius Junior (Brazil) +2500
• Jeremy Doku (Belgium) +2500
• Julian Alvarez (Argentina) +2500
• Ousmane Dembele (France) +2500

Odds provided by Caesars. Open an account with this link and take advantage.

Our 2026 World Cup Group Stage Picks

The 48 nations have been divided into a total of 12 groups. Here is the breakdown.

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic

In this first group of the 2026 World Cup, the competition is very evenly matched, with all four nations clearly in contention for qualification.

Mexico starts with a slight edge in our view, particularly thanks to home-field advantage, but will clearly need to be wary of its opponents. Still, we see the Mexicans qualifying.

For second place, we give a slight edge to the Czech Republic, which boasts a talented generation and performed well in the playoffs by defeating Ireland and then Denmark.

South Africa and South Korea should then battle it out to finish among the best third-place teams and try to reach the Round of 16.

• Our prediction for Group A qualifiers: Mexico and the Czech Republic to qualify!

Group A Standings

1. Mexico: 3 points (+2)
2. South Korea: 3 points (+1)
3. Czech Republic: 0 points (-1)
4. South Africa: 0 points (-2)

Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland

In group B, we believe there are to clear favorites to advance to the knockout stage.

Switzerland appears to be a cut above its opponents and remains a formidable force in major tournaments.

Close behind, Canada boasts a talented generation of players and has everything it needs at home to secure the second spot.

Bosnia, which knocked out Italy in the playoffs, could finish among the best third-place teams ahead of Qatar.

• Our prediction for Group B qualifiers: Switzerland and Canada to qualify!

Group B Standings

1. Canada: 1 point
2. Bosnia: 1 point
3. Qatar: 1 point
4. Switzerland: 1 point

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

In this third group, two favorites are also emerging!

First up is Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil, which is determined to go all the way in this World Cup after years of drought and disappointment.

And even for first place, the Seleção will have to watch out for Morocco, which has been playing its best soccer for many months now and has just won the Africa Cup of Nations (with the help of some administrative pushes a few months late after losing the final).

We see these two nations finishing in the top two spots, while Scotland should beat Haiti to take third place.

• Our prediction for Group C qualifiers: Brazil and Morocco to qualify!

Group C Standings:

1. Scotland: 3 points (+1)
2. Morocco: 1 point (+0)
3. Brazil: 1 point (+0)
4. Haiti: 0 points (-1)

Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey

In this fourth group, we find the third and final host nation, the United States. They should, of course, be among the qualifiers via the top two spots.

Joining them will likely be Turkey, which has made tremendous progress in recent months and boasts a very talented generation of players.

For the third spot and a potential berth in the Round of 16, we see Australia as the more likely contender than Paraguay.

• Our Group D qualification prediction: Turkey and the United States to qualify!

Group D Standings

1. USA: 3 points (+3)
2. Australia: 3 points (+2)
3. Turkey: 0 points (-2)
4. Paraguay: 0 points (-3)

Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Die Mannschaft is our clear pick as group winner! After some disappointing recent performances, Germany is determined to redeem itself and has a talented squad to do so.

As for the second spot that qualifies directly for the Round of 16, we believe the Ivory Coast has the edge over the other two teams in this group.

It’s hard to see Curaçao holding their own for 90 minutes, so Ecuador could take advantage of that to finish third and hope to qualify for the next round as well.

• Our prediction for Group E qualifiers: Germany and the Ivory Coast to qualify!

Group E Standings

1. Germany: 3 points (+6)
2. Ivory Coast: 3 points (+1)
3. Ecuador: 0 points (-1)
4. Curacao: 0 points (-6)

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

Moving on to Group F, the Dutch are our favorites to take first place. They are also the sportsbooks’ favorites.

Right behind them, we’re betting on Japan for second place. The competition will obviously be tough against the Tunisians and Swedes, who are talented and won’t give up easily, but the Japanese have been playing well for some time now.

And for third place, we expect Viktor Gyökeres and his teammates to finish ahead of Tunisia.

• Our prediction for Group F qualifiers: the Netherlands and Japan to qualify!

Group F Standings

1. Sweden: 3 points (+4)
2. Japan: 1 point (+0)
3. Netherlands: 1 point (+0)
4. Tunisia: 0 points (-4)

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

Here, there is very little doubt that Rudi Garcia’s Red Devils will qualify.

Belgium no longer has the “golden generation” it had in 2018, but the squad remains strong, and the results over the past few months have been very encouraging. The Belgians should get the job done and finish in first place.

Behind them, our experts give the edge to Egypt. On paper, they are well above Iran and New Zealand, who are likely to battle it out for third place.

• Our prediction for Group G qualifiers: Belgium and Egypt to qualify!

Group G Standings: 

1. New Zealand: 1 point (+0)
2. Iran: 1 point (+0)
3. Egypt: 1 point (+0)
4. Belgium: 1 point (+0)

Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Here’s a group where, in our view, the top two teams are practically a foregone conclusion.

It’s hard to see how Spain and Uruguay could miss out here, given how much stronger they appear to be than the group’s other two opponents.

Saudi Arabia, which has been developing its soccer program for several years now, is likely to settle for third place, which could still see them advance to the Round of 16.

• Our prediction for Group H qualifiers: Spain and Uruguay to qualify!

Group H Standings:

1. Uruguay: 1 point (+0)
2. Saudi Arabia: 1 point (+0)
3. Spain: 1 point (+0)
4. Cape Verde: 1 point (+0)

Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway

Group I is full of talent! We find our tournament favorites, France, here, facing a very tough group and needing to be at their best from the start.

While there’s little doubt about their qualification, predicting who will take the second spot is much more complicated.

Norway and Senegal seem to be very evenly matched, but we still give a very slight edge to the most recent winner (on the field, at least) of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Norwegians should still make it to the Round of 16 by qualifying as one of the best third-place teams in this 2026 World Cup.

• Our prediction for Group I qualifiers: France and Senegal to qualify!

Group I Standings: 

1. Norway: 3 points (+3)
2. France: 3 points (+2)
3. Senegal: 0 points (-2)
4. Irak: 0 points (-3)

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

The 2022 World Champions are back! Argentina will be defending its title at the 2026 World Cup and should top this group without too much trouble.

Behind them, while there’s likely to be a close race between Algeria and Austria, we give Algeria the edge to secure second place.

Austria could then take third place and hope to advance to the next round. We don’t see Jordan competing in the three matches, however.

• Our prediction for Group J qualifiers: Argentina and Algeria to qualify!

Group J Standings:

1. Argentina: 3 points (+3)
2. Austria: 3 points (+3)
3. Jordan: 0 points (-2)
4. Algeria: 0 points (-3)

Group K: Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan, Colombia

The penultimate group in this 2026 World Cup is highly competitive and features one of the title contenders, Portugal.

The Selecao should have no trouble qualifying directly for the Round of 16 and is even the favorite to finish at the top of the group.

Behind them, the battle for second place will be tight between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia, with the South American side holding a slight edge.

The Congolese are likely to settle for third place.

• Our prediction for Group K qualifiers: Portugal and Colombia advance!

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

We wrap up with a strong group that also features some top-tier competition.

Here, we expect England to qualify without too much trouble, with Croatia likely to follow closely behind.

For third place, Ghana seems to have a slight edge over Panama and could therefore hope to advance to the Round of 16.

• Our prediction for Group L qualifiers: England and Croatia to advance!

Beginner Guide - How does the 2026 World Cup work?

To get the most out of betting on the 2026 World Cup, let’s cover the basics: the format and organization of the tournament.

And there are some important details to keep in mind regarding how the tournament will unfold, which could completely change your future soccer predictions for the main tournament.

In fact, this will be the first World Cup to feature 48 nations (up from 32 previously), adding four extra groups for a total of 12 groups.

The group stage follows a simple format: each team plays three group stage games, facing each other once.

Note that 8 of the 12 best third-place finishers also qualify. In total, 32 nations advance to the knockout stage.

The knockout stage follows a traditional format, with the Round of 32 (a new feature of this edition) as single-elimination matches, followed by the Round of 16, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, and the long-awaited final. A unique feature of the tournament is that a third-place match is also scheduled between the two losing semifinalists.

Great betting opportunities await you with the World Cup, so don’t hesitate to take a closer look at the tournament analysis. Every prediction is worth making in this edition.

Place your bets with Caesars

How to make reliable World Cup predictions?

To make reliable predictions on the tournament, there are several good practices you can adopt. Thus, we strongly advise you to:

• Check the form of the two teams playing
• Know what form the key players are in
• Know the team line-ups
• Study the tactics both teams are using
• Analyze the head-to-head results
• How important is the match?

With these six best practices, you should be able to build more reliable analyses around the 2026 World Cup matches and thus increase your chances of success. Reading our excellent World Cup betting tips will also help a great deal. A short description of each best practice is given in the paragraphs below.

Check the form of the two teams playing

To bet on a match well, you must of course, know the form of the two countries that are facing each other. You will also need to look at the line-ups that countries have been playing. It is unlikely that full-strength teams will be played, especially in friendlies. Looking at results in the World Cup qualifiers, Nations League, AFCON, the Euros, and the Copa America will show you just how good or bad teams have been playing. Look at statistics such as how many shots and chances teams have been creating and their defensive records. How many chances did the nations have? How many shots, corners, free kicks? All these questions will have to be studied.

Know what form the key players are in

Paolo Rossi in 1982 with Italy, Diego Maradona in 1986 with Argentina, Romario in 1994 with Brazil, Zinedine Zidane in 2006 with France or Luka Modric in 2018 with Croatia...the paths of nations are often dependent on the performances of their best players.

Therefore, it is essential to study the form of the major players of each nation before betting on a match. If the best players aren't playing well, that can seriously affect their teams' chances of success. If they are playing well, then that team has a good chance of success (for example, Son for South Korea, Mbappé for Les Bleus and Kane for England). 

Don't forget that in modern soccer, there are no longer "small teams" and that matches are often decided by the differences created by star players.

If a nation does not have its best player in form, be very wary. Our World Cup 2026 betting tips will include details about the form of key players.

Know the team line-ups

Before making your prediction, always take care to check the team line-ups. Suspension, injury, and choice of coach... the reasons for a major absence can be numerous during a FIFA World Cup. So don't get trapped when placing your sports bets online for the 2026 World Cup.

In this regard, we strongly advise you to wait to know the official composition of the teams before validating your prediction. Even if you haven't bothered to find out beforehand, you'll be able to spot the absence of a major player in a matter of moments.

Is Mbappé unavailable for Les Bleus? Courtois for Belgium? Memphis Depay for the Netherlands? They won't be the same teams for sure. So always take the time to check whether or not there are any absentees for the match you want to bet on.

Study the tactics both teams are using

4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1...the tactics used by the coaches can differ widely in a competition such as the World Cup.

Therefore, it will be important to know how each team usually plays to determine the chances of them being able to dominate their opponent.

For example, against a nation that likes to play defensively and come out on the counter, a team that is not used to playing the game could have difficulty finding the break. The same reasoning applies to a nation that rarely resists the pressure imposed by its opponents. Paraguay, for example, who have fewer technical players than the top European teams, could find it hard to resist a team with an aggressive and intense attack style.

To help you make the best possible football prediction, take an interest in the tactical aspect of each team. This will enable you to refine your predictions and therefore accumulate as many winning bets as possible.

Place your bets at DraftKings

Analyse the last head-to-head results

Although there is always new blood coming to the tournament every year, it's a fact that we often see the same teams involved in the World Cup finals.

France, Spain, England, Brazil, Germany, Argentina... the historic giants are often in the World Cup line-up, and this means that some teams are eagerly awaiting a reunion.

Neymar and his teammates, for example, still have in mind the humiliation of 2014 against the Germans (1-7), while the Belgians will always want revenge against Les Bleus, since the famous semi-final loss in 2018. As you will have gathered, the aim is to observe the latest encounters between each national team with a view to detecting a certain animosity, a desire for revenge, or quite simply an inferiority complex.

Taking a look at the last duels played will give you a better idea of the psychological context of the match, and therefore enable you to make the best possible prediction for your match. Never forget this check.

How important is the match?

Finally, the sixth good practice to make good predictions will consist in considering the mental and psychological aspects of the match. In other words, you must know the motivation of each player and each team, the pressure that surrounds them (fans, journalists, president ...), their ability or not to shine in the competition, and their experience at the highest level.

When it comes to betting on knockout matches, for example, it is always preferable to predict the success of an experienced nation, even if they have not played as well as their opponents since the start of the event. From Ochoa and Neuer to Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo, the 2026 World Cup could well bring together many experienced players on both sides. These players will be real assets to their national teams as they prepare for the tournament.

From this psychological context to the usual tactics, not to mention the form of the key players and the possibility of absentees, several factors can influence the outcome of a match. So, make it a habit of always studying them if you want to make better and better sports predictions.

Soccer Betting with Caesars

What not to do with your World Cup 2026 football predictions

In addition to the good practices mentioned above, you should know that there are also some pitfalls to avoid. Not doing so will limit your chances of success.:

• Betting without doing any research - learn as much as you can before placing your bet.
• Betting on short odds for no reason - these don't always win.
• Prioritizing too many combined (multi) odds - the high odds are attractive but reduce your chances of winning.
• Chasing your losses - this can lead to further losses being incurred.
• Placing too many in-play bets - these can often be made rashly and without thought.

Unfortunately, many novice bettors often fall into one of these traps during a major competition like FIFA's premier event. So do everything you can to avoid making these mistakes.

Remember that when it comes to sports betting, what matters most is the quality of your analysis, not the quantity.

A good sports analysis and a bet on odds of +125 will always be more profitable than 10 bets placed on odds of -200 without having taken the time to look into the events. To succeed in sports betting, research is very important.

Caesars offers a bonus here!

Key statistics to know for 2026 World Cup matches

Now that you know the best practices for betting, it's time to look at the useful statistics of the World Cup.

To make the most successful FIFA World Cup 2026 predictions, you need to know the key figures of the competition, which will help you build the most accurate analysis. Our 2026 World Cup betting tips will all include excellent statistical information.

To help you make the best possible bet during this tournament, our soccer experts have been busy looking at the key statistics, based on the 2026 World Cup. Enjoy reading!

Statistics for your bets on the 2026 World Cup

• Average number of goals: 2.68
• Matches with + 0.5 goals: 89.1%
• Matches with + 1.5 goals: 73.4%
• Matches with + 2.5 goals: 46.9%
• Matches with + 3.5 goals: 25%
• Matches with + 4.5 goals: 18.8%
• "Both teams score: yes": 46%
• Quarter-hour with most goals: 76-90 (24.4%)
• Quarter-hour with the fewest goals: 0-15 (8.7%)
• Goals in first half: 39%
• Second-half goals: 61%
• Top scorer: Kylian Mbappé (8 goals)
• Number of players with more than 3 goals: 4

So, after reading these different statistics, the World Cup should have no more secrets for you.

Of course, these figures may differ from one edition to another, but they are still consistent with what we have seen for many editions of the competition. So, don't hesitate to use them when making your predictions on each match of the 2026 tournament.

That brings us to the conclusion of this page dedicated to the FIFA World Cup 2026. For even more analysis, we invite you to consult our predictions on each match of the World Cup earlier on this page. They have been studied, thought through and written by a team of passionate experts. You can read and use them as inspiration for your success with the bookmakers. Good luck!

Soccer Betting with Caesars

Our current World Cup predictions: