World Cup 2026 Predictions, Odds & Picks: Who Will Take the Prize?

• World Cup 2026 will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico

• This will be the 23rd edition of the tournament and the first to feature 48 teams

• Brazil, France, Spain, England, and Argentina are among the contenders to win

World Cup 2026 will take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico. It will be the first World Cup to be hosted by three countries after the joint-CONCACAF bid beat a rival proposal from Morocco.

This will be the 23rd edition of a tournament which was first held in 1930. Just 13 teams participated in that inaugural competition. In 2026 there will be 48 sides present for the first time, up from 32 in 2022.

World Cup 2026 is still a while away but odds are already available on the outcome. We have taken a closer look at those below, before digging deeper into what will be a historic tournament as the World Cup returns to the USA for the first time since 1994.

World Cup 2026 Odds

The odds for the World Cup 2026 are provided by the FanDuel Sportsbook. Place your bets at FanDuel and claim the bonus: Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.

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Who Will Win the World Cup 2026?

France (+550) at FanDuel

France are one of three joint-favorites to claim the prize at World Cup 2026. Didier Deschamps is still at the helm of the national team, so we know what to expect from les Bleus: relatively cautious soccer built on a strong backline.

It is a strategy that worked for France at the World Cup 2018. Kylian Mbappe is arguably the best player on the planet, while Deschamps is blessed with strength in depth in virtually every position on the field.

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Spain (+550) at FanDuel

Spain won the European Championship in style earlier this year, beating Germany, France, and England on their way to glory. Luis de la Fuente will now be targeting World Cup success in two years’ time.

Spain have some excellent young players coming through the ranks, including the teenage sensation Lamine Yamal. La Roja have a defined style of play and they will be tough to beat in 2026.

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Brazil (+550) at FanDuel

No nation in World Cup history has lifted the trophy as many times as Brazil, although their fifth and most recent triumph came back in 2002. The Selecao have not even reached a semi-final on foreign soil since then.

What is more, Brazil have not had a favorable start to the South American qualification process. Still, a country with such a talent pool is always going to be a leading contender to win the World Cup.

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England (+650) at FanDuel

England have finished as runners-up at the last two European Championships and also performed well at two World Cups under their previous manager Gareth Southgate. His replacement Thomas Tuchel is targeting glory in 2026.

England have an immensely gifted squad at their disposal, but time and time again the Three Lions have fallen short at major tournaments. Tuchel will be tasked with changing the mentality in the camp.

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Germany (+900) at FanDuel

Germany may have only reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 last summer, but they were one of the top-performing teams at that competition and were only narrowly defeated by eventual winners Spain.

Julian Nagelsmann has got Germany playing like a club side, while the likes of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz are exciting talents. However, the Nationalelf will miss Toni Kroos and there are still question marks over the defense.

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Argentina (+900) at FanDuel

Argentina are the defending champions but they are not among the outright favorites to triumph in 2026. Lionel Messi is expected to still be around for the tournament in the Americas, but he will turn 39 during the tournament.

Argentina are not a one-man team, though, and many will be surprised to see them available at significantly longer odds than Brazil given they have won the last two Copas America as well as World Cup 2022.

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Who Were the World Cup 2022 Winners?

Argentina were the winners of the World Cup 2022. The Albiceleste lost their first match of the tournament, suffering a shock 2-1 defeat by Saudi Arabia. They proceeded to beat Mexico and Poland to finish top of their group, before eliminating Australia in the round of 16.

Argentina overcame the Netherlands on penalties in the quarter-finals and then beat Croatia 3-0 in the last four. A 2-2 draw after extra time in the final against France led to another shoot-out, which Lionel Scaloni’s side won 4-2.

France topped their group ahead of Australia, Tunisia, and Denmark. A 3-1 victory over Poland preceded a 2-1 defeat of England, before les Bleus booked their spot in the final with a 2-0 triumph over Morocco in the semis.

Which Teams Have Been Most Successful at the World Cup?

Who Will Host the 2026 World Cup?

In June 2018, the USA, Canada, and Mexico were named hosts of World Cup 2026. They received 134 votes, while the rival bid from Morocco got 65. There were three abstentions and one non-vote.

FIFA had previously banned co-hosts after the World Cup 2002, which took place in Japan and South Korea. However, the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams necessitated a review of that policy.

Sixteen host cities have been chosen for World Cup 2026: two in Canada, three in Mexico, and 11 in the USA.

This is the fourth time the World Cup will be hosted in the region. Mexico staged the competition in 1970 and 1986, while the USA won the rights in 1994.

How Will the World Cup 2026 Work?

World Cup 2026 will be the first edition to feature 48 teams. Those sides will be divided into 12 groups of four, and the top two in each section will advance to the knockout stage along with the eight third-place finishers with the best records.

A round of 32 will then follow, before the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place play-off and final. The total number of games will rise from 64 to 104, and the finalists will end up playing one more match than they did in the 32-team tournaments from 1998 to 2022.

Will the USA Be in the 2026 World Cup?

FIFA has confirmed that the three co-hosts, the USA, Mexico, and Canada, will automatically qualify for World Cup 2026. There will be three additional spots available for other CONCACAF nations to fight over, with the likes of Costa Rica, Honduras, Panama, Haiti, and Jamaica likely to be among the contenders.

Elsewhere, there are eight guaranteed places for Asia, nine for Africa, six for South America, one for Oceania, and 16 for UEFA. The final two spots will be awarded to the winners of inter-confederation play-offs.

How to Watch World Cup 2026 on TV

• Dates: June 11, 2026 - July 19, 2026

• Location: USA, Mexico and Canada

• How to Watch: Fox Sports, Telemundo