2026 World Cup Picks: Spain vs. Austria (Thursday)
After a dramatic finish to qualify for the knockout stage, Austria is tasked with taking down Spain. Below, I explain why I don't expect Austria to put up much of a fight. Then, I highlight why goals will be sparse when Portugal and Croatia meet, and I explain why Switzerland is being undervalued against Algeria. Here are the best bets and 2026 World Cup picks for Thursday, July 2’s game Spain vs. Austria.
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Thursday’s Best 2026 World Cup Picks & Predictions: Spain vs. Austria
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Spain vs. Austria
As is often the case when Spain takes the pitch, this match will come down to how often the Spanish actually go for goal. While there is no doubt that Spain is the better side in this contest, this is also a team that failed to score against Cape Verde, then defeated Uruguay just 1-0.
However, I don't believe Austria has the talent to keep up with Spain in this match. Austria is coming off a miracle result against Algeria. After allowing a goal in stoppage time that was about to knock the Austrians out of the World Cup, they managed to find the back of the net in the closing moments to force a draw and advance to the knockout stage.
Despite the dramatics, what we've seen from Austria thus far hasn't been great. Allowing three goals to Algeria is certainly worrisome, and while no one expected the Austrians to defeat Argentina, putting just one shot on goal despite 46% possession is alarming. In the end, Spain is going to control the tempo of this game and break down an Austrian defense that needs to be perfect to have any chance here.
Pick: Spain -1.5 (+100)
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.