2026 World Cup Picks & Predictions: Sunday (6/14)
The 2026 World Cup rolls on Sunday, and so do our 2026 World Cup picks, with four more matches as we wrap up the first full weekend of action.
At 1:00 p.m. ET, Germany and Curacao kick off Group E play at NRG Stadium in Houston, while the Netherlands and Japan meet in Group F play at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
At 7:00 p.m. ET in Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field, the Ivory Coast and Ecuador lock horns, while Sweden and Tunisia wrap up the day at 10:00 p.m. ET at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico.
The first two matches are available on FOX, Telemundo and Peacock, while the final two matches are on FS1, Telemundo and Peacock. Let’s build our bankroll with our top 2026 World Cup picks and predictions for Sunday, June 14th.
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Sunday’s Best 2026 World Cup Picks & Predictions
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Germany (-2000) vs. Curaçao (+4000) | Draw (+1700) | O/U 4.5 (+116/-148)
Group E favorite Germany opens with what should be a lay-up in Houston against Curaçao in the first game of the afternoon on Sunday.
Germany is ranked No. 10 in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking and takes on the 82nd-ranked Curaçao. This will be the first-ever meeting in any official or friendly match between these nations. Curaçao is a World Cup debutante and the smallest nation ever to compete in the tournament.
Germany has won the World Cup four times, including 2014, but it has been feast or famine lately. In 2018 and 2022, Germany failed to advance past the group stage. They will look to start quickly and finish fast in this Group E opener.
The last time we saw Germany was in a 2-1 friendly win over Ghana on March 30th. It also took care of Switzerland in a wild 4-3 win in a friendly match three days prior. Germany is led by Jamal Musiala. He and Florian Wirtz, who plies his trade with Liverpool of the English Premier League (EPL), will be the two big stars to watch.
Curaçao was hammered 5-1 in a FIFA Series match on March 31st and tripped up 2-0 by China in a friendly beforehand. It has two losses and a scoreless draw in its past three outings, last winning 7-0 against tiny Bermuda on November 13th, 2025, in a World Cup qualifying match.
This is going to be an ugly game, and Germany should win at least 4-0 or 5-0.
Picks: Germany Two-Way Spread -3.5 Goals (-112)
Netherlands (-105) vs. Japan (+270) | Draw (+250) | O/U 2.5 (-108/-118)
In Group F, the Netherlands and Japan meet in a much more level match than what we’ll see down the road in Houston.
The “Oranje” open the World Cup as a slight favorite despite being ranked No. 7 in the world, while Japan, a.k.a. the Samurai Blue, checks in No. 18. These sides meet for the first time since the 2010 World Cup group stage, which resulted in the Netherlands edging out Japan 1-0.
The Netherlands has finished as a runner-up three times previously, including in 2010, and bowed out in the quarterfinals in Qatar in 2022. Japan’s best finish was reaching the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup. The bar is high for manager Hajime Moriyas, as Japan looks to go deeper this year.
The Dutch played to a 1-1 draw with Ecuador on March 31st and topped Norway 2-1 on March 27th, both in friendlies. For Japan, it topped England 1-0 in a friendly on March 31st and beat Scotland by the same score on March 27th. Both were tune-up matches.
Japan will look to use speed to pierce the Netherlands’ defense. Ritsu Doan, who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt of the German Bundesliga, will be a handful, while Takefusa Kubo, who is with Real Sociedad in Spain, is a creative genius up front.
The Netherlands’ Frenkie de Jong is a top-tier midfielder, and Virgil van Dijk, another standout for Liverpool of the EPL, locks it down on the back end. His Liverpool teammate Cody Gakpo is also a force for the Dutch.
This feels like a draw, as both of these sides attempt to secure an important point in a tough group. Let’s go low on the total, too, with a 1-1 result most likely.
Picks: Draw (+250) & Under 2.5 Goals (-118)
Ivory Coast (+260) vs. Ecuador (+145) | Draw (+175) | O/U 1.5 (-170/+132)
In another intriguing Group E matchup in Philadelphia, the Ivory Coast and Ecuador battle for valuable points. Ecuador ranks No. 23 in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking, while the Ivory Coast is 34th.
This is a huge matchup right out of the gate, as Germany is almost certain to top Curaçao, firing out with three points. A win isn’t imperative, but it would help immensely as these teams try to position themselves to advance.
In this first-ever matchup between these nations, El Tri and Les Elephants will look to play a rather careful first half. Neither side will want to fall behind, as a loss in this battle will likely be the death knell for Group E, with Germany in the mix.
Ecuador reached the Round of 16 in 2006 but was knocked out in the group stage in 2022. Moises Caicedo, who plays his club soccer with Chelsea of the EPL, leads the way. Enner Valencia of C.F. Pachuca in Liga MX is also a significant player.
The Ivory Coast last appeared in the World Cup in 2014, exiting in the group stage. They have never advanced to the knockout stages despite a proud history of talented players like Didier Drogba, Abdoulaye Traoré and Salomon Kalou. Amad Diallo, who plays for Manchester United of the EPL, might be the latest Les Elephants star.
This match should start slowly, and taking the first half under is the way to go.
Picks: Draw (+175) & First-Half Under 0.5 Goals (+128)
Sweden (-115) vs. Tunisia (+340) | Draw (+240) | O/U 2.5 (+126/-162)
In the final match of the weekend, Sweden and Tunisia meet in Mexico in a Group F battle. Sweden heads into this match ranked No. 38 in the world, and Tunisia is No. 44. Expect a fairly even matchup.
This is a very important battle, as all eyes will be on the result of the Netherlands and Japan earlier in the day. Those two teams are considered the favorites in the group, so Sweden and Tunisia each have an uphill battle; there are three gigantic points up for grabs. These nations have met just once before on the pitch, with Tunisia posting a 1-0 win in a friendly on February 12th, 2003.
Sweden once finished second in the 1958 World Cup, while it last appeared in 2018. Tunisia has never advanced past the group stages, and it was bounced in 2022 in Qatar.
Sweden needed to win a World Cup playoff semi-final match against Ukraine on March 26th, and it did so by a 3-1 score. It bounced Poland in a World Cup Play-Off Final, too, easing by in a 3-2 win.
The Swedes are led by former West Ham manager Graham Potter, who mostly employs a 4-2-3-1 setup. Viktor Gyökeres of EPL’s Arsenal is front and center of the attack. Alexander Isak of Liverpool is also a player to keep a close eye on. The latter missed the World Cup Play-Off Tournament due to injury, but he appears ready for this tournament.
Tunisia played to a scoreless draw against co-host Canada in a friendly, and it topped Haiti 1-0 on March 28th in another tune-up friendly. Ellyes Skhiri of Eintracht Frankfurt and Hannibal Mejbri of Burnley are the two players of focus for the Eagles of Carthage, who are looking to build upon a best-ever four-point effort in Qatar.
Let’s go with the draw, and we’ll go low on the total, as we play it safe in the final match of the day.
Picks: Draw (+240) & Under 2.5 Goals (-162)