2026 World Cup Betting Preview & Futures Picks
The club season wrapped up on Saturday, with Paris Saint-Germain hoisting the Champions League trophy in a thrilling match against Arsenal. Players will now depart for their international assignments, as the 2026 World Cup is set to commence in early June. If you're unfamiliar with the World Cup, or simply need a refresher on all of the key details for the 48-team tournament, you've come to the right place. Below, I'll dive into all of the competition specifics, touch on the betting options available and close it out with a futures play that I've already locked in. Let’s dive into our 2026 World Cup betting preview.
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2026 World Cup Betting Preview
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
When Does the 2026 World Cup Start?
The 2026 World Cup gets underway on Thursday, June 11th, with host nation Mexico taking on South Africa. Other hosting countries include Canada and the United States of America. They begin play on Friday, June 12th.
What is the Format of the World Cup?
Forty-eight countries are split into 12 groups, where they'll compete in a round-robin style pool against three opposing nations.
The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams will advance to a 32-team knockout stage. From there, it's a single-elimination format until one team is crowned the World Cup champion on July 19th in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Who are the Betting Favorites in the 2026 World Cup?
Six teams are priced at 10-to-1 or shorter odds:
Which Nations Have Won the Most World Cups?
Only six countries have won multiple World Cup titles:
- Brazil (5)
- Germany (4)
- Italy (4)
- Argentina (3)
- France (2)
- Uruguay (2)
Which Different Betting Options are Available for the World Cup?
There is no shortage of betting options available for the 2026 World Cup. From the macro level, you can pick an outright winner in the futures market or bet on different teams to advance from pool play. You can even wager on player futures, like who will score the most goals or how many assists a player will accumulate.
As for the game-level betting menu, if you can think of it, it's likely available. We have classic options like Moneylines, totals and spreads, as well as more obscure choices like player props, game props and live betting.
Best 2026 World Cup Outright Futures Winner Pick
There's one team that stands above the rest. I'm backing France to win the World Cup, and I'm actually surprised that we can still secure a +500 payout on Les Bleus. France is led by the legendary Didier Deschamps as the team’s manager. He has led the national team to back-to-back World Cup Finals, including a title in 2018.
Deschamps will have arguably his most star-studded cast, including all-world offensive stars like Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.
France should have no issues cruising to a Group I win, as they'll be taking on mediocre competition in Senegal, Iraq and Norway. They're -215 favorites to win the group.
From there, we'll be leaning on the elite talent that France possesses. Their depth is unmatched, and the speed and pace are devastating. They stack up well against any opponent. I'll be riding with them to lift the trophy in July.