2026 World Cup Picks
Find our soccer World Cup predictions on this page, along with our expert analysis on every match.
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?
After a total rout of the favored French team, there's little surprise in our pick for the tournament winner. La Roja proved that when allowed to play their game, they're unstoppable.
With the world's best player on their team, Argentina won't go down without a fight. We expect the two teams to give us a spectacle in the Final in New York but ultimately, we see the Spanish team adding another star to their shirt.
Our prediction for the 2026 World Cup winner is: Spain will be crowned world champions!
2026 World Cup Prediction - World Cup odds for the cup
- Spain -150
- Argentina +130
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:
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) -105
- Kylian Mbappe (France) +280
- Ousmane Dembele (France) +1200
- Harry Kane (England) +1800
- Erling Haaland (Norway) +2200
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 in the running:
- Michael Olise (France)
- Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 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
- 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 online sportsbooks. Good luck!
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.
At that point, we thought Mexico had a slight edge, mainly because they were playing at home, but they clearly had to be wary of their opponents. We expected the Mexicans to advance, and that’s exactly what happened, as they won their first two matches and will advance as Group A winners.
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. Although the Czech Republic got off to a rough start in the tournament, losing to South Korea and then drawing with South Africa, it can still prove our prediction right by putting together one last strong performance in the group stage.
Finally, South Africa and South Korea were set to battle it out for a spot among the best third-place teams, in our view, and try to advance to the round of 16. The South Koreans have proven themselves to be a formidable opponent and remain in a strong position to qualify. But South Africa hasn’t had its final say yet either. The final matchday will be full of suspense!
- Our prediction for Group A qualifiers: Mexico and the Czech Republic to qualify!
Group A Standings
- Mexico: 9 points (+6)
- South Africa: 4 points (-1)
- South Korea: 3 points (-1)
- Czechia: 1 points (-4)
Group B: Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
In this second group, which has now concluded, two nations had, in our view, a clear advantage on paper to claim the top two spots before the tournament began.
Switzerland did indeed appear to be a cut above its opponents and remains a formidable force in major competitions. It secured first place on the final day by defeating Canada.
Right behind them, Canada boasts a talented generation of players and, playing at home, had everything it needed to claim the second spot. That, too, has now been accomplished.
Bosnia, which knocked out Italy in the playoffs, was projected to finish among the best third-place teams ahead of Qatar, according to our analysis. So we’ve hit the jackpot with our predictions for Group B of the 2026 World Cup!
- Our prediction for Group B qualifiers: Switzerland and Canada to qualify!
Group B Standings
- Switzerland: 7 points (+4)
- Canada: 4 points (+5)
- Bosnia: 4 points (-1)
- Qatar: 1 point (-8)
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 saw these two nations take the top two spots, while Scotland had to defeat Haiti to claim third place, in our view. That’s exactly what happened in the first match, and Haiti’s loss to the Seleçao has thus officially eliminated the Grenadiers.
- Our prediction for Group C qualifiers: Brazil and Morocco to qualify!
Group C Standings:
- Brazil: 7 points (+6)
- Morocco: 7 points (+3)
- Scotland: 3 points (-3)
- Haiti: 0 points (-6)
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group D featured the United States. In our view, they were obviously expected to qualify by finishing in one of the top two spots. And they got off to a perfect start by thrashing Paraguay (4-1) and then defeating Australia, earning 6 points and securing their qualification after just 2 matches.
Joining them, as expected, was Turkey, which has made tremendous progress in recent months and boasts a very talented generation of players. However, they completely failed to capitalize on their chances in their first two matches despite a total of 62 shots on goal, and lost both games… They are officially eliminated.
In third place and potentially qualifying for the Round of 16, Paraguay looked more likely than Australia. We’ll see a showdown between these two nations for second place in the final match.
- Our Group D qualification prediction: Turkey and the United States to qualify!
Group D Standings
- USA: 6 points (+4)
- Australia: 4 points (+0)
- Paraguay: 4 points (-2)
- Turkey: 3 points (-2)
Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Die Mannschaft was clearly our favorite to take first place here before the tournament began! After a string of disappointing recent tournaments, Germany was determined to redeem itself and has a talented generation of players to do so. They handled their first match perfectly, crushing Curaçao (7-1), before staging a comeback against the Ivorians after trailing 1-0 for much of the game. The Mannschaft has qualified and is guaranteed to finish first.
As for the second spot that qualifies directly for the Round of 16, we believed the Ivory Coast had an edge over the other two teams in this group before the tournament began. And they seem well on their way to proving us right, having defeated Ecuador on the first day! Now they simply need to avoid a loss against Curaçao in their final match.
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
- Germany: 6 points (+6)
- Ivory Coast: 6 points (+2)
- Ecuador: 4 points (+0)
- Curacao: 1 point (-8)
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Now it’s time for Group F. The Dutch were our favorites to take first place before kickoff, and the sportsbooks’ favorites as well. However, they’ll need to show more than they did in their draw against Japan in their opening match. They did just that in their dominant victory over Sweden, and they now sit in first place.
Right behind them, we were (and still are) backing Japan for second place. The battle will obviously be tough against a talented Swedish team that won’t give an inch, but the Japanese have been playing well for some time now. They currently have 4 points and are in second place, and we’re in for a real showdown on the final matchday.
As for third place, we expected Viktor Gyökeres and his teammates to finish ahead of Tunisia. They had clearly put themselves in a strong position by defeating the African team by a wide margin in their head-to-head matchup, and Tunisia’s second loss has condemned them to last place.
- Our prediction for Group F qualifiers: the Netherlands and Japan to qualify!
Group F Standings
- Netherlands: 7 points (+6)
- Japan: 5 points (+4)
- Sweden: 4 points (+0)
- Tunisia: 0 points (-10)
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Here, there was very little doubt about Rudi Garcia’s Red Devils qualifying before the tournament began.
Belgium no longer has its “golden generation” as it did in 2018, but the squad remains strong, and the results over the past few months have been very encouraging. In our view, our neighbors should get the job done and finish in first place. They’ll need to beat New Zealand on the final matchday and hope for a slip-up by the Egyptians, since Doku’s teammates haven’t managed better than two draws so far...
Behind them, our experts give the edge to Egypt. On paper, they’re well above Iran and New Zealand, who are likely to be locked in a two-way battle for third place. That’s exactly where things stand right now!
- Our prediction for Group G qualifiers: Belgium and Egypt to qualify!
Group G Standings:
- Belgium: 5 points (+4)
- Egypt: 3 points (+2)
- Iran: 3 points (+0)
- New Zealand: 1 point (-6)
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Here’s a group where, in our opinion, the top two teams were practically a foregone conclusion.
It was hard to imagine how Spain and Uruguay could miss the mark here, given how much better they seemed than the group’s other two opponents. And yet... While Spain is in a strong position to qualify before the final match thanks to its 4 points, the same cannot be said for Uruguay, which managed only two draws before facing La Roja on Matchday 3.
Saudi Arabia, which has been developing its soccer program for several years now, is likely to settle for third place, which could still see it advance to the round of 16. To do so, it will need to secure a win in its final match against Cape Verde.
- Our prediction for Group H qualifiers: Spain and Uruguay to qualify!
Group H Standings:
- Spain: 7 points (+5)
- Cap Verde: 3 points (+0)
- Uruguay: 2 points (-1)
- Saudi Arabia: 2 points (-4)
Group I: France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway
Now let’s turn to the group we’re most interested in! Here we have Les Bleus, who found themselves in a very competitive group and knew they’d have to be at their best right from the start. They’ve done the job, as Les Bleus have posted a magnificent 6-0 record and have already qualified.
While there was little doubt about their qualification, predicting who would claim the second spot was much more complicated.
Norway and Senegal seemed to be very evenly matched, but we still gave a very slight edge to the most recent winner (on the field, at least) of the Africa Cup of Nations. In the end, Norway won both of its matches, including the one against Senegal, and will even battle Les Bleus for first place on the final matchday.
In any case, the Norwegians and Senegal were expected to have the upper hand against Iraq, which was projected to finish last without earning any points.
- Our prediction for Group I qualifiers: France and Senegal to qualify!
Group I Standings:
- France: 9 points (+8)
- Norway: 6 points (+1)
- Senegal: 3 points (+2)
- Iraq: 0 points (-11)
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
The 2022 World Champions were right here! Argentina is defending its title at the 2026 World Cup, and we expected it to take first place in this group without too much trouble.
There should be a close match between Algeria and Austria for second; we gave Algeria the edge to claim second place. They’ll have the chance to do so on the final matchday!
Austria could then take third place and hope to advance to the next round of the tournament. We didn’t see Jordan as a serious contender over the course of the three matches, and their record of two losses so far certainly confirms that.
- Our prediction for Group J qualifiers: Argentina and Algeria to qualify!
Group J Standings:
- Argentina: 6 points (+5)
- Austria: 3 points (+3)
- Algeria: 3 points (-2)
- Jordan: 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 K Standings:
- Colombia: 6 points (+3)
- Portugal: 4 points (+5)
- DR Congo: 1 point (-1)
- Uzbekistan: 0 points (-7)
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!
Group L Standings:
- England: 4 points (+2)
- Ghana: 4 points (+1)
- Croatia: 3 points (-1)
- Panama: 0 points (-2)
Our current World Cup predictions:
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