FIFA World Cup 2026 Odds & Betting

Who hosts the World Cup 2026?

If you’ll be part of those watching live, get set to watch matches in some legendary venues such as Mexico’s Estadio Azteca, which has already hosted two World Cup finals, and will once again be part of history. In the United States, the magnificent NFL stadiums such as AT&T Stadium in Texas, MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles will also be part of the stadium to welcome record-breaking crowds.

Since the World Cup will be hosted in 3 countries, travel will be made easier by the host countries, so that fans can move around the countries with plenty of options to join games. According to FIFA, they expect the 2026 World Cup to be the biggest and most attended World Cup ever. The World Cup will, of course, be massive, and it’ll be a good time to enjoy the sport and experience the culture of the host countries.

2026 World Cup: Which teams have already qualified?

The World Cup is scheduled for mid next year, and some countries have already been competing for spots on the FIFA World Cup list. We already have 13 countries that have qualified from the total of 48. The list of countries that have qualified includes:

Co-hosts

• Canada
• Mexico
• USA

AFC

• Australia
• IR Iran
• Uzbekistan
• Jordan
• Korea Republic
• Japan

CONMEBOL

• Argentina
• Ecuador
• Brazil

OFC

• New Zealand

Host countries

As stated above, the World Cup is hosted by 3 countries, namely, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The host countries automatically qualify for the tournament and do not need to compete with other countries in the World Cup qualifiers 2026. They only have to compete for the winning place in the World Cup.

CONMEBOL

In this category, three South American football countries have already participated in CONMEBOL’s qualifying process and booked their spots. These countries include Argentina, Brazil, and Ecuador. They will be joining the hosts in the lineup for the 2026 World Cup.

Asia

In the AFC, a total of six teams have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets. They include Japan, Iran, South Korea, Australia, Uzbekistan, and Jordan. These nations lead their regional qualifiers and have earned their places in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Oceania

Oceania has a direct qualifying slot for the 2026 World Cup. New Zealand has secured the slot for Oceania, while New Caledonia will move on to compete in the inter-confederation playoff for another potential spot.

How will the 48 spots for the 2026 World Cup be distributed?

For the 2026 World Cup, the 48-team slots will be shared across different regions of the world.

• UEFA (Europe) 16 spots,
• CAF (Africa) 9 slots
• AFC (Asia) 8 slots
• CONMEBOL (South America) 6 slots
• CONCACAF (North/Central America & Caribbean) 6 slots.
• OFC (Oceania) 1 slot.
• Intercontinental playoffs 2 slots

Where to bet on World Cup 2026

If you’re planning to place a few bets on the World Cup 2026, you’ll want a reliable bookmaker that offers competitive odds. I have compiled a list of top betting sites that you can place bets on the World Cup games. Some of these bookmakers are:

• Bet365: Bet365 is a globally recognized sports betting site, and they have one of the widest football markets you can select from. They have betting options such as outright winners, and they support in-play betting during every match.
• Betway: Many people prefer to use Betway mainly for the ease of the betting site and the multiple promotions they offer. For World Cup games with boosted odds and special offers, you can go for this.
• BetVictor: This betting site's odds are competitive, and the platform is easy to use. You’ll also find multiple betting options on this site. You can consider betting on BetVictor.

All of the above mentioned sportsbooks will feature outright betting markets, and you’ll be able to bet on the tournament winner and top scorer, alongside individual match odds. If what you want is the live-streaming services and cash-out features, you can also access them via these sites.

World Cup predictions

Predicting football results is not an easy task, and when it comes to the 2026 football World Cup, the task becomes even harder, especially with the increased number of participating nations. Still, there are trends and past performances that can give us some clues.

• Potential winners: My prediction for the winner of the tournament on the South American side is between Brazil and Argentina. The two nations have been consistently strong on the world stage, and their hunger to add another star to their jerseys remains as fierce as ever. From the European side, my pick is France. They’ve built a reputation for dismantling top opponents, and having reached the final in the last World Cup, they remain one of the biggest threats going into 2026.
• Best scorer: When it comes to the Golden Boot, two names come to mind Kylian Mbappé of France and Erling Haaland of Norway, if they qualify. These players are natural goal machines, and they are capable of terrorizing defenses with their speed, power, and finishing. Any one of them is capable of being the top goal scorer come 2026.
• Best Goalkeeper: For the Best Goalkeeper award, I see a tight battle between Emiliano Martínez of Argentina and Mike Maignan of France. Martínez’s performance in the last World Cup in Qatar 2022 is truly unforgettable, and I believe he’ll be able to replicate that form. Meanwhile, Maignan will benefit from a highly structured and talented French defense. He has a strong team to rely on, and that’s an edge that we cannot deny.

How to bet on the World Cup

Like me, if you’re not just planning to sit back and watch the World Cup but also want to place a few bets like I did on the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 qualified teams list, you’re in the right place. The World Cup isn’t about sentiment; your country might be on the pitch, but if you’re serious about winning, you need to focus on who’s most likely to deliver results. Betting to be profitable means going beyond loyalty and looking for opportunities that give you the best returns. Let me share some simple tips on how you can bet on the World Cup 2026 and give yourself a real shot at winning big.

• Always do your homework: Before you bet, always look at recent form, head-to-head stats of the teams, injuries, and team news. As little as an injury to the main goalscorer could have a great impact on the match.
• Don’t always back the favorite blindly: It’s natural to want to see your team win, but you must always bet on who is perceived to have more advantage. Always look for value bets that can pay off.
• Try different markets: The betting market is larger than just who will win and who will lose. You can try out markets such as both teams to score, total goals, or first goalscorer. These options will give you more chances to win.
• Manage your bankroll: It is not advisable to bet more than you can lose. So I advise you to set a budget for how much you’re willing to spend and stick to it. Avoid chasing losses by betting bigger if things don’t go your way.
• Look at live betting: A lot can happen as the match unfolds. Keeping an eye on the match and betting as it unfolds can help you spot opportunities as they unfold.
• Think long-term: Most punters focus on the next match, but options such as top scorer or “tournament winner can also be very profitable when gotten right. Also, spread your bets so you’re not relying on a single outcome.

World Cup 2026 schedule and results

The World Cup is scheduled to kick off in June 2026 and conclude with the final in July 2026. The group stage will last for about two weeks, and it will be followed by the knockout rounds.

• Opening Match: The opening match is scheduled on Thursday, 11 June 2026. The first match will take place in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca.
• Group Stage: The participating 48 teams will be divided into 12 groups with 4 teams in each group. The Top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage, along with the eight best third-placed teams.
• Knockout Stage: For the knockout stage, there is the Round of 32, followed by the Round of 16, Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and then the Final.

All over the world, countries are competing for FIFA World Cup rankings. The teams that successfully make it will compete in the World Cup schedule come June 2026.

World Cup teams and groups

So far, about 13 out of the 48 teams have been confirmed to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026 schedule. The qualified countries include:

The final tournament will feature 12 groups of 4 teams each. Each group will have a mix of seeded teams, qualifiers, and hosts.

World Cup tournament format

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature a new format. In the new format, there will be 48 teams that will be divided into 12 groups. The 12 groups will each have 4 teams present. Only the top two teams from each group, along with the 8 best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 32.

From there, the tournament shifts into a knockout stage. It’ll build up from there into the grand final that will decide the world champion.

World Cup favourites

The top 5 favorites to win the 2026 World Cup are:

1. Spain: The 2010 World Cup winner is strongly rebuilding with a new generation of talent. They top the list of many bookmakers for their strong line-up.
2. Brazil: The five-time world champions are a strong contender. Their history is proof that they can do it again.
3. Argentina: The defending champions are still capable of doing it again. Doing it once doesn’t kill drive; it’s proof they can do it again.
4. France: France almost did it twice in a row, but Argentina needed it more. With a squad full of world-class players, they can be the champions again.
5. England: England was a semi-finalist in 2018 and a finalist in Euro 2020. England is still a serious contender for 2026.

Every one of the listed teams has the tactical strength and star players to top the favorites heading into the tournament. Any one of them can win.