2026 World Cup Picks & Predictions: Monday (7/6)
Following a patriotic weekend in the United States, the party continues on Monday when the United States of America squares off against Belgium in its Round of 16 contest. That is the latter of the two Monday matches, with the opener pitting Portugal against Spain in an Iberian battle. Below, I'll dive into both games from a betting angle, laying out my arguments for where I'm placing my money on the pitch. Here are my top 2026 World Cup picks for Monday, July 6th.
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Monday’s Best 2026 World Cup Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Portugal (+280) vs. Spain (-105), DRAW (+265) | O/U 2.5 (-135/+110)
Spain and Portugal share 754 miles of border, and now the territorial rivals will square off for a ticket to the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup. Spain, one of the pre-tournament favorites, is priced at -210 to qualify for the next round. Portugal comes back at +170 to pull off the upset. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX.
I like the under quite a bit in this matchup, and what makes it even more enticing is the plus-money payout on the wager. Both of these countries are sound defensively, so I don't anticipate much scoring through the first 90 minutes.
Spain has been lights-out in its own third, not conceding a single goal through its 3-1-0 start to the tournament. They've now posted nine clean sheets in their last 10 competitive matches. As for Portugal, they've allowed only two goals in their 2-2-0 World Cup journey this year. It's also worth noting that four of the last five head-to-head meetings between the rivals have finished under 2.5 goals.
Bet: Under 2.5 Goals (+110)
United States (+165) vs. Belgium (+165), DRAW (+235) | O/U 2.5 (-150/+120)
Belgium needed late goals in the 86th and 89th minutes just to force extra time against Senegal in the opening round of the knockout stage. They eventually pulled off a 3-2 victory courtesy of a Youri Tielemans penalty kick goal (120'+5') to complete the comeback. The sports betting market views this matchup between the United States (-125) and Belgium (+100) as a coin toss. Kick-off is set for 8:00 p.m. ET from Lumen Field in Seattle, WA.
Belgium is one of those teams that always come into the tournament as darkhorse candidates, but if we're being honest, they're more of a fringe competitor on the international stage. They've exited before the quarterfinals in four of their last six World Cup appearances, including failing to advance from the group stage in Qatar in 2022.
The Red Devils needed a miracle just to advance to Seattle, and I don't see their tournament continuing in a hostile environment against an upward-trending United States squad. I'm backing the Stars and Stripes to qualify for the Round of 16. Lumen Field will be rocking on Monday night, and I think this juggernaut USA offense, which has scored at least two goals in all four games this tournament, will sneak past Belgium.
Bet: USA to Qualify (-125)