The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in sight. The event, which takes place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico this year, kicks off on Thursday, June 11, in Mexico. The event concludes on Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. In total, 16 cities will host at least one 2026 World Cup event throughout the tournament.
This year’s World Cup sees the team pool expand from 32 teams to 48. The 32-team pool had been the norm since the 1998 World Cup. With more teams, this year’s event will feature 104 total games, a massive increase from the usual 64.
The 48 teams in the 2026 World Cup will be split into 12 groups of four. Each team will play its three group opponents in a round-robin format. The top two group teams advance to the Round of 32. The eight third-place clubs across the 12 groups also head into that round. When the Round of 32 begins, each game will be an elimination game.
Argentina enters the tournament as the defending champ. They won the 2022 World Cup by defeating France on penalty shots (4-2) after the match ended in a 3-3 tie.
Below we look at the early betting odds, picks, and predictions for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These odds come on the heels of Team Argentina star Lionel Messi suffering a left hamstring strain, which could hamper his ability to play at his best at the 2026 World Cup.
| To Win 2026 World Cup |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| England | +550 | +600 | +550 |
| France | +700 | +800 | +800 |
| Brazil | +750 | +850 | +800 |
| Argentina | +800 | +850 | +800 |
| Portugal | +1100 | +1100 | +1100 |
| Germany | +1200 | +1400 | +1200 |
| Netherlands | +2500 | +2500 | +2000 |
| Norway | +2500 | +2800 | +2500 |
| Italy | +3500 | +4000 | +3300 |
| Belgium | +4000 | +4000 | +3300 |
| Colombia | +4000 | +5000 | +5000 |
| Morocco | +6500 | +8000 | +5000 |
| USA | +6500 | +8000 | +8000 |
| Ecuador | +8000 | +8000 | +8000 |
| Mexico | +8000 | +8000 | +6600 |
| Uruguay | +8000 | +8000 | +6600 |
Competing out of Group H with Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay, Spain is the early betting favorite to win the 2026 World Cup. If the team wins, it will be its second all-time World Cup victory, and first since 2010. In 2022, Spain fell to Morocco in the Round of 16, losing 3-0.
Spain is coming off a win at the 2024 European Football Championship. An event in which the team defeated its final four opponents by a combined score of 10-4, holding Georgia, Germany, France, and England to one goal apiece. The team is currently No. 1 in the FIFA rankings.
Lamine Yamal is the player to watch for Spain. At the 2024 Euros, he was the youngest player to appear in a UEFA European Championship final (17). The soon-to-be 19-year-old currently plays for FC Barcelona, where he has scored 19 points (10 goals) for the LaLiga club, which is in first place.
Other players to keep an eye on for Spain are Pedri (also with Barcelona), who played in the 2022 World Cup, and was named the UEFA Euro 2020 Young Player of the Tournament, and Rodri. Rodri, who plays for Manchester City, won the Ballon d’Or in 2024.
Sir Gareth Southgate resigned as England‘s coach following the club’s 2-1 loss to Spain in the Euro 2024 final. Southgate held his job for eight years, and while he led the team to at least the quarterfinals at the 2018 World Cup, Euro 2020, 2022 World Cup, Euro 2024, he never earned a championship at those events. This year, Thomas Tuchel looks to lead England to its first World Cup title since 1966. England was eliminated by France in the 2022 quarterfinals, losing 2-1. The club is currently ranked No. 4. England is part of Group L with Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
Team captain Harry Kane has been fantastic as a member of Bayern Munich, scoring nearly a goal a game with that team. In addition, Kane is England’s all-time leading scorer with 78 international goals. He also won three Premier League Golden Boots with Tottenham Hotspur. Kane’s main objective this year will be to deliver a World Cup title to England.
Jude Bellingham is the other player to watch for England. The 21-year-old Bellingham played well in the 2024 Euros. Bellingham was third in the 2024 Ballon d’Or voting after winning a Champions League title and a La Liga Player of the Season award with Real Madrid.
The No. 3 ranked team in the world, France, is looking for its third World Cup title, and first since 2018 when the team prevailed 4-2 over Croatia. France made the 2022 final, but lost to Argentina on penalty shots (4-2) after the match ended in a 3-3 tie. The club lost to Spain 2-1 in the semifinal round of the 2024 Euros. France is part of Group I with Senegal, Norway, and an as-yet-unnamed playoff club.
Unsurprisingly, Kylian Mbappe is the key player for France. The winner of the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup with eight goals. He scored a hat trick in the final of that tournament. He also contributed to the team’s 2018 World Cup championship, scoring four goals. The 27-year-old has a chance to break the World Cup goal-scoring record this year. He has 12 career goals, four behind Miroslav Klose of Germany, who played 24 World Cup matches between 2002 and 2014.
The other player to watch for France is Ousmane Dembele. The 28-year-old won the Ballon d’Or in 2025 with Paris Saint-Germain after winning the UEFA Champions League, Ligue 1, and the Coupe de France. Like Mbappe, he was a member of France’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup teams.
The betting pick is for Spain to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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About the Author
Trent's your man when it comes to all things sports. He covers a wide range of sports for Sports Betting Sites, and has been published in some pretty reputable outlets, such as USA Today Sports, Vice, Bloody Elbow, Fight! Magazine, UFC 360, and Narratively. Trent's got the inside track on all the happenings in the world of sports.
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