2026 World Cup betting guide: Predictions to win, dark horses, Golden Boot, and more
The 2026 World Cup will be the biggest sporting event in human history.For the first time ever, the tournament features a field of 48 teams, and it will be played across three countries.The expanded field brings with it a new format, with the 48 countries split into 12 groups of four.
The top two teams from each quartet and the eight best third-place teams will advance to the Round of 32.From there, it will be single-elimination until a champion is crowned.Spain (+450), France (+500), and England (+600) lead the way at bet365 Sportsbook, with Brazil (+800), Argentina (+800), Portugal (+900), and Germany (14/1) rounding out the top six.It’s very likely that the World Cup is won by one of those teams, as we’ve only seen two tournaments (Italy in 1982 and 2006) won by a team with double-digit odds, and those iterations of the Azzuri were far from long shots at 18/1 and 11/1, respectively.That said, we almost always see at least one long shot make a deep run at the tournament, and we’ll keep that in mind as we select our favorite bets across a variety of markets for the 2026 World Cup.It’s hard to remember Brazil entering a World Cup with such low expectations.
Seleção are still among the favorites, but they’re projected behind Spain, France, and England at every sportsbook, and are essentially on level-pegging with Argentina and Portugal at a majority of bookmakers.For a country that is used to being the chalk on the biggest stage, it’s an unfamiliar feeling.It’s also a blessing.There are a couple of reasons for the skepticism.
First and foremost, it’s been 24 years since Brazil won a World Cup, and they bowed out in the quarterfinals in the past two iterations.Their last appearance in a semifinal came in 2014 when they lost 7-1 to Germany.The other reason is that their roster, as talented as it is, doesn’t have the same star power that we’re used to from the five-time champions.
Once again, that feels like lit could be a good thing.Even thoug...