2026 World Cup Predictions

2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage - Soccer Betting Picks & Predictions

The most anticipated sporting event in the world is back, and it’s bigger than ever, with 48 teams now taking part in the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage. You can bet on all soccer matches at the World Cup when you sign up to Stake Sportsbook. Check the latest odds, learn more about betting on soccer, and find expert early predictions for the tournament right here at Stake!

What is the FIFA World Cup?

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sports event in the world, featuring the world’s best soccer players. It’s an international tournament that’s held every 4 years and features national teams from countries all over the world. The event is organised by FIFA, and teams have to qualify through regional qualifiers to earn their place in the tournament. The winners of the World Cup cement their place in history as world champions, and lifting the coveted trophy is a dream of any professional soccer player.

FIFA World Cup History & Past Winners

The Olympics organised the first official football world championships, both of which were won by Uruguay. Later, the governing body of soccer, FIFA, decided to hold its own world championship, and the inaugural World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. It featured 13 nations, including Belgium, France, Romania, and Yugoslavia. Uruguay defeated Argentina in the final, and the tournament was a major success.

Although issues surrounding travel and war made the next few years difficult, the World Cup continued in earnest after World War II, with tournaments held every four years since. In 1982, the tournament was expanded to 21 teams and then expanded again to 32 in 1998. In 2017, FIFA confirmed that the 2026 World Cup would be the first to feature 48 teams.

Throughout the history of the competition, the following teams have all been crowned world champions:

• Brazil (7) - Last win in 2002

• Germany (4) - Last win in 2014

• Italy (4) - Last win in 2006

• Argentina (3) - Last win in 2022

• France (2) - Last win in 2018

• Uruguay (2) - Last win in 1950

• England (1) - Last win in 1966

• Spain (1) - Last win in 2010

2026 FIFA World Cup Schedule & Fixtures

The 2026 World Cup gets underway on June 11, starting with the group stage. The groups have been drawn, and the direct spots have been filled, but there are still 6 more teams to qualify.

UEFA Playoffs

There are still 4 qualification spots remaining for UEFA teams. The UEFA playoff stage. Features 16 teams split over 4 paths. Each team will play a semi-final match against an opponent, and the winner will then play in the path final for a place in the World Cup group stage.

• March 26 - Semi-finals

• March 31 - Finals

Inter-Confederation Playoffs

2 teams can also qualify from the inter-continental playoff stage, which is made up of 2 paths and features a total of 6 teams. Unseeded teams must first play a semi-final match, and the winner then goes on to play in the final against the seeded team of that path.

• March 26 - Semi-finals

• March 31 - Finals

Group Stage

There are 12 groups of 4 teams, and during the group stage, each team plays one match against each of their group opponents. At the end of the 3 games, the 2 teams with the most points progress to the knockout stages. Meanwhile, the 3rd placed team has a chance to make the knockout stage based on their ranking.

• June 11-17 - Matchday 1

• June 18-23 - Matchday 2

• June 24-27 - Matchday 3

Knockout Stage

• June 28 - July 3 - Round of 32

• July 4-7 - Round of 16

• July 9-11 - Quarter-finals

• July 14-15 - Semi-finals

• July 18 - Third-place playoff

• July 19 - Final

Where is the FIFA World Cup 2026 Held?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be shared between 16 cities across the 3 host nations of North America. The USA are the primary host, while Canada and Mexico will be auxiliary host countries.

The fixtures for matchday 1 will take place in the following locations:

• Mexico vs South Africa - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico

• USA vs Paraguay - SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, USA

• Haiti vs Scotland - Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, USA

• Brazil vs Morocco - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, USA

• Qatar vs Switzerland - Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, USA

• Ivory Coast vs Ecuador - Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, USA

• Germany vs Curacao - NRG Stadium, Houston, USA

• Netherlands vs Japan - AT&T Stadium, Arlington, USA

• Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay - Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, USA

• Spain vs Cape Verde - Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, USA

• Iran vs New Zealand - SoFI Stadium, Inglewood, USA

• Belgium vs Egypt - Lumen Field, Seattle, USA

• France vs Senegal - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, USA

• Argentina vs Algeria - Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, USA

• Austria vs Jordan - Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, USA

• Ghana vs Panama - BMO Field, Toronto, Canada

• England vs Croatia - AT&T Stadium, Arlington, USA

• Uzbekistan vs Colombia - Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico

Which Countries/Teams are in the World Cup?

This is the first FIFA World Cup to include 48 international soccer teams, expanded from the standard 32. The full list of teams has yet to be decided, as 6 more teams can qualify through the playoffs. So far, the following teams are confirmed:

Major Teams & Players to Look Out For

Spain

Spain recently won the 2024 Euro Championships and has a squad that is bursting with quality. Every position has players of quality, especially in the midfield. Spain last won the World Cup back in 2010, doing so after winning the 2008 Euros. They’re the current betting favourites to win their second-ever World Cup trophy.

Spain looked dominant during the qualification process, winning 5 games while scoring 21 goals and conceding just 2. Players to watch include:

• Lamine Yamal

• Nico Williams

• Dean Huijsen

• Pedri

• Gavi

• Mikel Merino

England

England haven’t won the men’s FIFA World Cup since 1966 and most recently reached the quarter-finals in 2022. They have some incredibly talented players, although their squad is a bit unbalanced, with more quality in attack than in defense.

England qualified for the World Cup by winning all 8 games, scoring 22 goals while not conceding a single one. Here are some of the key players to look out for:

• Bukayo Saka

• Cole Palmer

• Harry Kane

• Jude Bellingham

• Trent Alexander-Arnold

• Declan Rice

France

France were champions at the 2018 World Cup and were unlucky not to win the 2022 tournament, finishing runners-up, losing the final on penalties after the match ended 3-3. They probably have the most depth in terms of talent, with a lot of players who have experience playing in high-pressure finals.

France won 5 games and drew one during qualifying, scoring 16 goals and conceding 4. Star players in the France squad include:

• Kylian Mbappe

• Ousmane Dembele

• William Saliba

• Eduardo Camavinga

• Jules Kounde

• Mike Maignan

Brazil

Brazil are the most successful team in the history of the World Cup, lifting the trophy on 5 separate occasions. However, their most recent win was in 2002. Since then, they’ve reached the quarter finals each tournament, but have been disappointing considering the talented squad they have.

Despite bringing in head coach Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil struggled during their qualifying campaign. Although they still qualified, they finished 5th on the CONMEBOL table, with 8 wins, 4 draws and 6 losses. Key players for Brazil in their upcoming games include:

• Vinicius Jr.

• Rodrygo

• Paqueta

• Endrick

• Gabriel

• Alisson Becker

Argentina

The current world champions still look like one of the strongest teams in South America, even if Lionel Messi is slowing with age. He remains one of the best attacking players in the world, and with the right team and system around him, he could captain Argentina to another World Cup win.

They finished as group winners of the CONMEBOL qualifying table, with 12 wins out of 18 games. Players to watch include:

• Lionel Messi

• Emiliano Martinez

• Julian Alvarez

• Rodrigo De Paul

• Enzo Fernández

• Nico Paz

Portugal

Portugal have never lifted the World Cup trophy, although they did finish in 3rd-place in 1966 and won the UEFA Euro Championships in 2016. They’re still one of the strongest UEFA nations in the competition, and are one of the favorites to win in 2026.

Portugal qualified at the top of their group for the upcoming tournament and have lots of extremely talented players, such as:

• Cristiano Ronaldo

• João Neves

• Bruno Fernandes

• João Cancelo

• João Felix

• Nélson Semedo

Germany

Germany has won 4 World Cup finals, last lifting the trophy in 2014. However, they went out in the group stage at the last 2 tournaments. Germany has always been a mainstay of the World Cup, but their squad is not as strong as it once was.

Germany topped their qualifying table, and they have a lot of talented players in their squad, such as:

• Jamal Musiala

• Leroy Sane

• Antonio Rudiger

• Karim Adeyemi

• Florian Wirtz

• Kai Havertz

Netherlands

The Netherlands have never won the World Cup, but their team has often been one of the top finishers in the tournament. They were runners-up in 2010 and reached the quarter-finals in 2022. They have a gifted squad, although they’re not one of the favorites.

The Netherlands went unbeaten in qualifying, winning 6 matches while drawing twice. Key players include:

• Virgil van Dijk

• Frenkie de Jong

• Xavi Simons

• Cody Gakpo

• Jurrien Timber

• Tijjani Reijnders

Ecuador

One of the big surprises of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers has been the performance of Ecuador. They finished 2nd in the qualifying table, with 8 wins, 8 draws, and just 2 losses. They conceded just 5 goals, half that of Argentina.

Ecuador have played in just 4 World Cups in their history, getting to the Round of 16 in 2006. This year, they have a strong squad and tactics that prioritise a solid defense, which could see them upset the odds. Key players include:

• Eder Valencia

• Piero Hincapie

• Willian Pacho

• Moises Caicedo

• Felix Torres

• Pedro Vite

Norway

Another possible dark horse for the tournament, Norway have looked very strong during their qualifying campaign, so far winning 6 games out of 6 while scoring 29 goals and conceding just 3. Norway last qualified for the World Cup in 1998, where they reached the last 16.

They have a very talented squad, with some excellent goal-scoring potential. However, they have a lack of depth and experience on the biggest stage.

Key players for Norway include:

• Erling Haaland

• Martin Odegaard

• Thelo Aasgaard

• Antonio Nusa

• Alexander Sorloth

• Julian Ryerson

FIFA Qualification Predictions

We’re predicting the following teams to make it through the playoffs to take the last World Cup qualification spots and join the group stage:

• Italy

• Ukraine

• Turkiye

• Denmark

• Bolivia

• Jamaica

FIFA Group Stage Predictions

We’re predicting the following teams to qualify from each group:

• Group A - Mexico and UEFA Playoff D

• Group B - UEFA Playoff A and Switzerland

• Group C - Brazil and Morocco

• Group D - USA and UEFA Playoff C

• Group E - Germany and Ecuador

• Group F - Netherlands and Japan

• Group G - Belgium and Egypt

• Group H - Spain and Uruguay

• Group I - France and Norway

• Group J - Argentina and Austria

• Group K - Portugal and Colombia

• Group L - England and Croatia

FIFA World Cup Betting Tips, Odds & Previews

Betting odds will change over time, especially once the tournament begins. However, the current ranking of favorites to win the World Cup is as follows:

• Spain

• England

• France

• Brazil

• Argentina

• Portugal

Of course, you can bet on more than just the World Cup outright winners at Stake. We also offer odds on every match, plus the top goalscorer award and much more. Before you bet, make sure you compare the odds to get the best prices.

The World Cup can be unpredictable, but the nature of the new format means that strong teams will get to face much weaker sides in the group stages. As a result, there are less likely to be shock exits during the group stage. Still, watch out for potential dark horses, and don’t just blindly pick teams based on their reputation. For example, Brazil holds the record for the most World Cup wins, but they had a poor qualification campaign.

Another factor to consider when placing your bets is the weather. This World Cup will take place during the summer heat in areas such as California and Texas. The hot weather conditions could favour teams from South America, the CAF region, and Asia.

Live Stream Football/Soccer Matches Online

You’ll find pre-match and live betting options on all FIFA World Cup matches as well as many other soccer tournaments at Stake. To see the latest live odds on games, simply log in while the match is in-play and open the event. The odds update in real time as the action happens on the pitch, and you’ll also be able to see live stats to help you make predictions. You can watch free live streams of FIFA World Cup qualifying games at Stake, although the finals aren’t covered.

FIFA World Cup Betting Odds, Payouts & Promotions

To be successful at placing sports bets on the World Cup, you need to understand how odds work and how to calculate your potential payouts. The higher the implied probability, the lower the odds and the lower the potential payout. It’s important to balance risk and reward when comparing odds and thinking about bet sizes.

Change between decimal, fractional, and American odds depending on which one you find easier to use. Make the most of Stake’s sports betting promotions to get the best odds and increase the value of your bets.

For more information on sports betting, check out our general guide to sports betting online.

Soccer & Football Betting Tips, Predictions & Strategies

1. Use the stats - Make your World Cup picks by using the available data and statistics. You should be looking at recent team performances in friendlies and qualifiers to determine which teams have the best chance of success. Look at underlying metrics such as expected goals as well as the results.

2. Make the most of all betting markets - There are loads of different betting markets available at Stake. You can place moneyline bets on the winner of the match, outright bets on the outcome of the tournament, total goals scored in a game, betting handicaps, including asian handicaps, and player and game prop bets.

3. Follow the latest news and picks online - During the tournament, you’ll be able to find plenty of news and updates that could prove valuable when making your picks. Reading up on our expert soccer guides as well as exclusive interviews with our football Stake ambassadors such as Sergio Agüero and Patrice Evra will also provide valuable insights. Stay up to date with team news, keeping an eye out for injuries to key players and issues within the squads.

Stake VIP Club & Responsible Betting

When you join Stake.com, you’ll also be able to enjoy a range of sports betting promotions and join our exclusive VIP Club. By placing bets, you’ll be able to level up your account and unlock exciting rewards such as regular rakeback and reload bonuses. Reach a high enough level, and you’ll even get your own VIP host. Find out more about how it works on the VIP FAQ page. Whenever you bet, be sure to follow our responsible betting guidelines to stay in control and stay Stake Smart while betting on major tournaments like the World Cup.