The World Cup 2026 starts in June. Played across the USA, Canada, and Mexico, it is one of the biggest tournaments ever and promises to be a spectacle for those who like to place a football bet.
Summer will bring in the biggest FIFA World Cup of all time. Spread across North America, it promises to be a feast of football, with an expanded team roster and a new format. Across its 16 host cities, the globe’s best soccer squads will battle through league stages and onto a knockout tournament. All of this provides ample opportunity to place a bet on both favourites and outsiders.
The Main Betting Markets
With a host of teams, ranging from Portugal to Paraguay, this promises to be a feast for those who like to place a bet. Yet there are many more ways to bet other than just picking the outright winner. Another popular choice is to dive into the winners of individual groups.
When opting for individuals, the option to select the top goalscorer is always popular. This is the person who drops the most in the back of the net during the tournament. More so than other bets, this does take some research. Even those who are prolific at the club level can be lacklustre if they don’t have a strong national team behind them. Any previous injuries or issues at the club level may also resurface.
Lastly, consider picking out how far a team will go. You can decide who will make the final. On a macro level, you may just decide what stage your favourite squad will get to, be it the semis or quarters.
Other types of betting options are also worth considering at the World Cup. Many people like to try an accumulator. This is several selections linked by one stake. If one choice wins, then the odds pass on to the next. Should one lose, though, the whole bet is forfeit. This can be great for betting on all the matches in a group, or across stages.
Lastly, the best operators will let you place a bet as a game is in play. This is a great time to use your knowledge, watching how teams play, and dropping a wager if you think the tide is about to turn.
The Current Favourites
The current 2026 betting has Spain out in front as favourites at 4/1. This is closely followed by France at around 9/2 and England in third at 13/2. Brazil, Argentina, and Germany all come close after this. These odds will change depending on the operator you choose to bet with. They will also change in the run-up to the event, which begins on June 11th.
There are also some great bets to be had by picking out the winners of the group stages. While some of these, like Switzerland in Group B, are evens, some are much more open, like Group D, which contains hosts USA; it also has Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. The hosts are the favourites to win at 11/8, but no one in the group should be written off, and with odds of 10/1 on strong teams like Australia, the field is anyone’s.
Even closer are the odds for the top goalscorer. Kylian Mbappe is the favourite at around 6/1, with England’s Harry Kane second at odds of 7/1 and 13/2. Erling Haaland comes in third at lower odds of 14/1, possibly because of the strength behind the national squad.
Structural Changes That Impact Betting
This World Cup is bigger than those that have come before. The structure of the tournament has changed. It has 12 groups, each of four teams. The top two teams move on, along with the eight best-placed third teams. Yet they don’t go to the knockout round of 16 stage as they did before. Instead, they enter into a larger round of 32. This makes the knockout stages much more of a battle, with all the extra time and penalties that come along with it.
The results of this are yet to be seen. However, it certainly relieves some of the pressure in the group stages. Having this safety net may make these stages less volatile, with fewer surprise outsiders topping the group. It also makes picking out the third-place teams a great chance for an outside punt.
The number of games to be played will also change from 64 to 104. While it may only mean a few extra games for teams that make it through the group stage, the World Cup is intense. Tempers fray, risks are taken, and injuries mount up. Therefore, squads with depth start to become more important than they have been in the past.
Odds are always more favorable before the tournament starts, known as ante betting. Set your bankroll, then get ready for a summer of soccer madness.
