The final day of the group stage takes place on Saturday, with six matches to be played. While there is sure to be a lot of attention on Lionel Messi after his incredible first two performances with Argentina, I'm focusing my attention on three different games. Can Congo DR pull off the improbable and secure a spot in the knockout round? Will Croatia be able to decipher Ghana's defense? And who wants to take the points when Algeria and Austria battle? Here are the best 2026 World Cup picks for Saturday, June 27th’s game Algeria vs. Austria.
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Saturday’s Best 2026 World Cup Picks & Predictions: Algeria vs. Austria
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Algeria vs. Austria
This is one of the most compelling matches of the World Cup thus far for one simple reason: The winner of this match will likely have to play Spain in the Round of 32, while the team that loses will likely advance as one of the eight third-place teams and get a much easier matchup against an opponent like Switzerland. What should we expect from these teams?
Honestly, not much. I think both teams will be happy to play for a draw. A 1-0 loss might be the best thing for the Austrians. They have a goal differential of zero right now. If it drops to -1, they'd still be in position to qualify as one of the eight third-place teams.
Some will argue that the competitive nature will take over, but this is the World Cup. Anything you can do to better your chances going forward is the optimal approach. And since these teams have the benefit of playing in the last slot of the group stage, and will know exactly where they stand when kickoff happens, why shouldn't they use that to their advantage?
Pick: Under 1.5 Goals (+160)
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.