- What: 2026 World Cup
- When: June to July 2026
- Where: Canada, Mexico, and the United States
Exactly a year from now, we will be celebrating the 2026 World Cup champion. That’s right, the final is slotted for July 16, 2026 in MetLife Stadium (New Jersey, not New York). That got us thinking, who’s actually worth betting on to be that champion?
The best soccer betting sites are two steps ahead of us. They’ve had World Cup betting odds out for years now, though, they’ve fluctuated over the years. But right now, 11 months away from the tourney opener, here’s the countries most favored to win the title:
| Country |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spain | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Brazil | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| France | +650 | +650 | +650 |
| England | +700 | +700 | +700 |
| Argentina | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Germany | +1000 | +1000 | +1000 |
| Portugal | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
Early 2026 World Cup Preview
We know you want our betting picks, but we do have to preview the 2026 World Cup first because this will truly be a first of its kind event. For the first time ever, there will be three host countries — Canada, Mexico, and the United States. We’ve had dual hosts once before (Japan and South Korea in 2002), but never triple hosts.
But a bigger first is the expansion to 48 teams. That’s right, it’s no longer a 32-team tourney. No, the field has expanded by 50 percent. That means way more games and more potential for chaos.
There will now be 12 groups instead of the usual 8. The top two of each group will advance to the knockout round which now begins with 32 teams, not the usual 16. From the round of 32, it's single elimination until a new World Champion is crowned.
We’re still in the midst of qualifications so officially, only 13 of the 48 teams have been confirmed. The three hosts are automatic, but other teams that’ve punched their tickets to 2025 include defending champion Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Jordan (their debut), South Korea, Uzbekistan (also debut), plus a few others.
The entire draw isn’t until December 15. By then, all 48 teams will be locked in, and then we can see which groups and games each are bracketed into. Still, we don’t need to know this to get a good read on the field. In the next section, we’ll give out our betting predictions come tourney time.
Do’s And Don’ts 2026 World Cup Champs
You know something? Deciding who NOT to bet is every bit as important as who you DO put money on. So that’s why we wanted to offer up some do’s and don’ts for World Cup betting, using the most-favored teams. Here’s what we think you should be doing right now:
Do Bet Argentina
We get it, this pick feels like a cop-out because it’s the reigning champions. But don’t overthink this one. Argentina is every bit as good as they were in 2022. They absolutely steamrolled CONMEBOL in qualifications with a 11-2-3 record. They also won Copa America. And believe it or not, Leo Messi is expected back despite most believing he’d ride off into the sunset in 2022.
But here’s why Argentina is must-bet: this isn’t the Messi show anymore. Not because he’s older necessarily, but because this is a true team. All 11 players know their role and play it to near perfection on the pitch. It’s a well-oiled machine that you’d be smart to bet right now.
Do NOT Bet Brazil
Honestly, we’re stunned Brazil are +600 favorites to win the World Cup. That’s better than Argentina, despite Brazil getting smoked 4-1 in a matchup with them earlier this year. Oddsmakers are still clinging to Brazil’s reputation, but this is a country that’s stuck in a malaise.
The Seleção has gone 7-4-5 in qualifiers so far. It’s ok, but far from championship-caliber. More than that, it’s just the eye test. Brazil just isn’t the explosive team we’ve become accustomed to seeing. The swagger is just not there so skip a bet on them at all costs.
Do Bet Spain
La Roja are the number-one betting favorites, and for good reason. Spain has lost just once since winning the 2024 Euros (a penalty shootout in the Nations League finals), and they’ve figured out how to win without relying on its famed possession-style play that won them the 2010 World Cup. This version of Spain is younger, more flexible, and not afraid to go for broke on offense. The team is led by 18-year-old star Lamine Yamal, who is likely a Ballon d’Or runner-up this year. But in one years time? Who knows, he might be the best player in the world by then.
Do NOT Bet Portugal
We get it, Portugal just beat Spain. However, we wouldn’t buy into the hype. Here’s a team that’s still being led by Cristiano Ronaldo, who will be 41 years old when the 2026 tournament begins. It’s also managed by Roberto Martínez, who badly underachieved with Belgium’s “golden generation.” We’d avoid Portugal like the plague if we were you.
How To Bet On 2026 World Cup
There are not that many World Cup bets available, mostly because the field is missing 37 teams still. However, this futures bet, plus a few others are available right now. For those looking to bet on the 2026 World Cup, we recommend one of the below sites:
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