The 2026 FIFA World Cup continues on Friday, and so do our 2026 World Cup picks. We have a total of six matches, beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET with Norway versus France (FOX) in Foxborough, Massachusetts and Senegal and Iraq (FS1) in Toronto.
At 8:00 p.m. ET, Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia (FS1) meet in Houston, while Uruguay and Spain lock horns at Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico (FOX). In the 11:00 p.m. ET window, Egypt and Iran (FS1) square off in Seattle, while New Zealand and Belgium (FOX) do battle in Vancouver.
All of the matchups are available on Telemundo and FOX One. Let’s build our bankroll with our top 2026 World Cup picks and predictions for Friday, June 26th.
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Friday’s Best 2026 World Cup Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Norway (+410) vs. France (-175) | Draw (+360) | O/U 2.5 (-162/+132)
France and Norway battle for the top spot in Group I, as both sides have each won two matches against Iraq and Senegal in this tournament.
France has scored six goals, while Norway has managed seven. Les Bleus have conceded just a single goal, while The Vikings have allowed three. The good news is that head-to-head, not goal differential, is the first tiebreaker. The winner of this fixture takes the group, earning a matchup on Tuesday in East Rutherford, New Jersey, against a third-place team from Group C/D/F/G/H.
France is led by the incomparable Kylian Mbappé, who has managed four goals at this World Cup. Also in contention for the Golden Boot is Norway’s Erling Haaland (four goals). France’s Michael Olise has scored twice, while Martin Ødegaard has found the back of the net twice for the Norwegians.
Both sides have world-class players, but France is a little deeper. They were rather sluggish in their opener against Senegal before finally turning it on, looking not only like a group table-topper, but a legit contender to win the whole thing. Take France lightly, and look for the over to hit.
Picks: France Moneyline (-1750) & Over 2.5 Goals (-162)
Senegal (-450) vs. Iraq (+1200) | Draw (+550) | O/U 3.5 (+132/-164)
Senegal and Iraq still have a shot at a third-place finish, but they must correct their negative goal differential to advance. And, of course, they must win, or it’s a flight back home.
Bad news for Senegal, as goalkeeper Édouard Mendy (knee) suffered a knee injury against Norway, and has been ruled out for this one. For Iraq, team captain Aymen Hussein (muscle injury) is doubtful.
The Africa Cup of Nations winner, Senegal, is the strong favorite, and rightly so. Senegal is going to be pressing to score, and score plenty, as it needs to erase a -3 goal differential.
Senegal has the offense to do so, but I don’t know if they have the defense to keep the ball out of their own net, especially with a backup keeper. We’ll take Senegal to get it done by two goals, and we’ll go with the over.
Picks: Senegal -1.5 (-162) & Over 3.5 Goals (+132)
Cabo Verde (+165) vs. Saudi Arabia (+175) | Draw (+220) | O/U 3.5 (+108/-132)
Cabo Verde has played two matches and drawn both in its debut run at the World Cup. It is in good shape to advance, but it needs a result against Saudi Arabia, a side with a -4 goal differential with one loss and one draw to date.
The Saudis are still alive to advance, but it would take a win, and a high-scoring one at that, to erase a -4 goal differential. Any other results mean a flight home to Riyadh.
Vozinha has been an unheralded star for the Cabo Verde side, conceding just two goals against Uruguay in a 2-2 draw last time out and blanking Spain 0-0.
A win will send either of these sides to the knockout round, while a draw could send both home. A win by Cabo Verde earns them a top-two spot, which is amazing in their debut campaign. A win by the Saudis doesn’t necessarily guarantee top-two status, given goal differential and other factors.
Both teams should be nervous, and I like the draw as the play. It’s hard to believe the total is so high, but slam the under.
Picks: Draw (+220) & Under 3.5 Goals (-132)
Uruguay (+600) vs. Spain (-210) | Draw (+320) | O/U 2.5 (-106/-114)
Spain simply needs a draw to advance after pounding Saudi Arabia 4-0 following a stunning 0-0 draw with Cabo Verde to kick off this tournament. Uruguay faces a steeper uphill climb, as it needs a win to seal qualification. A draw could still do the trick, but it depends on the result of the other Group H match between Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia going in its favor.
Spanish wunderkind Lamine Yamal still cannot play a full 90 minutes, but he is expected to start and go as long as possible before being subbed out. He found the back of the net against Saudi Arabia in the 4-0 win. Spain has never lost to Uruguay, dating back to their first-ever meeting in 1950, so history would need to be made.
Spain won’t be keen on pressing and doing a lot, as they’re basically through, and trying to figure out what the most favorable matchup is in the Round of 32. It likely would be fine with just a draw. That’s what we’ll bet on, especially since Uruguay has never beaten Spain before. We’ll also go low on the total.
Picks: Draw (+320) & Under 2.5 Goals (-114)
Egypt (+145) vs. Iran (+280) | Draw (+165) | O/U 1.5 (-180/+146)
In Group G play, Iran is right in the mix with a pair of draws, including a stunning 0-0 result against Belgium. It also drew 2-2 with New Zealand in the opener.
For Egypt, it sits atop Group G with the only victory in the group so far, a 3-1 win over New Zealand last time out. All-world striker Mohamed Salah has two assists in the tournament. Iran’s Ramin Rezaeian has a goal and an assist through two matches.
This match smacks of a draw, and we could even see a scoreless draw. The only concern is Iran being able to throw a blanket on Salah. He might be the best player the Iranians have seen to date.
Picks: Correct Score Combinations - Draw 0-0 or 1-1 (+200)
New Zealand (+1500) vs. Belgium (-600) | Draw (+650) | O/U 3.5 (-104/-118)
On paper, prior to the World Cup, it appeared Belgium might walk through Group G. It’s been anything but a leisurely stroll, and the Red Devils have managed just one Romelu Lukaku goal while conceding one, and have drawn both games against Egypt and Iran.
That’s disappointing.
Belgium can still get it done against New Zealand, a side that has allowed five goals to date, while scoring just three.
I expect Belgium, which has a mix of aging strikers and young guns, to push the tempo against the All Blacks, aiming to secure a convincing victory and advance to the knockout stages. New Zealand doesn’t figure to offer much resistance, but it can score. Elijah Just has two goals to date, and Chris Wood has a pair of assists. Look for a high-scoring win by Belgium.
Picks: Belgium -1.5 (-250) & Over 3.5 Goals (-104)
