Friday features four matches, with none bigger than the meeting between the United States and Australia. With a win, the United States would punch its ticket to the knockout stage. Below, I explain why I expect the United States to have no trouble with Australia, especially if the Stars and Stripes' offense plays to its potential. Then, I highlight what to expect when Scotland meets Morocco and Brazil faces Haiti. Here are the best 2026 World Cup picks for Friday, June 19th.
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Friday’s Best 2026 World Cup Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
United States vs. Australia
It's hard not to be excited about the United States after their opening win against Paraguay. The offense, led by Folarin Balogun, was outstanding, scoring on four of their six shots on goal. Though Australia also won its first game, there's no doubt that the United States was the more impressive side.
Australia needed to rely heavily on counterattacks to achieve its goals, possessing the ball for just 28% of the match against Türkiye. They completed just 74% of their passes, while allowing Türkiye to complete 90% of their passes and record eight shots on net.
I expect the United States to have plenty of scoring chances in this game. The only question is whether they'll be able to capitalize on those moments. With all the pressure off after their impressive opening victory, I expect the United States to play loose and score multiple times. I also expect Australia to struggle offensively and ultimately fail to put any goals on the board.
Picks: USA to Win in Shutout (+140) & USA Over 1.5 Goals (-136)
Scotland vs. Morocco
The Moroccans opened many eyes with their 1-1 draw against Brazil. The semifinalists from 2022 proved that their result in that World Cup wasn't a fluke. They went toe-to-toe with the Brazilians from start to finish, putting three shots on goal and actually finishing with more expected goals than Brazil.
Meanwhile, Scotland wasn't very exciting. While the Scots picked up their first win in 36 years, they were far from convincing in their 1-0 victory over Haiti.
Haiti earned more time of possession and finished with the same number of shots on goal and expected goals. While Scotland missed two big opportunities, they barely made a dent against an average defense. What can they do against one of the best teams in the tournament?
Morocco hasn't allowed more than one goal in 19 consecutive matches. During that span, the Moroccans have had 12 shutouts. In their last two matches, Morocco has held Brazil and Norway to just one goal each. The Scots have a lot to be excited about entering this match, but I fully expect Morocco to dominate, especially on the defensive side.
Pick: Morocco to Win in Shutout (+150)
Brazil vs. Haiti
Haiti is stepping into a terrible situation, facing off against a Brazil team that just drew 1-1 against Morocco. Brazil is a team that can score in bunches, and I expect them to be unrelenting against Haiti in this match.
The Brazilians have scored 12 goals in their last four matches, with a 6-2 win over Panama and a 3-1 win over Croatia showing exactly what this offense is capable of. This is also a squad that defeated South Korea 5-0 in October.
Haiti gave up just one goal in their first match, but if Scotland had finished around the net, the score could easily have been 3-0 or worse. While Haiti hasn't allowed more than three goals in a match since last June against Curaçao, they also haven't played a team that is nearly as good as Brazil.
Haiti has struggled defensively at times, allowing three goals to Honduras and Costa Rica each in the last nine months. The only thing potentially working in Haiti's favor is that Neymar isn't expected to play. But even without him, Brazil should have no trouble getting the better of an average, at best, defensive team.
Pick: Brazil Over 3.5 Goals (+134)
