No tournament captures the world’s attention more so than the World Cup. Teams spend years preparing and developing talent, qualifying is a multi-year extravaganza, and every nation is wholly invested in its country’s performance.
We are nearing the end of the quadrennial cycle, with the 2026 World Cup scheduled to take place from June 11 until the final on July 19. The final six berths were clinched this week, meaning the stage is set for another memorable tournament, spread across the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
BetMGM’s futures board has lit up since the field was confirmed. We’re evaluating the recent line movement to see which countries have the best shot of being crowned World Champions!
2026 FIFA World Cup Groups
Group A: Mexico | South Africa | South Korea | Czech Republic
Group B: Canada | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Qatar | Switzerland
Group C: Brazil | Morocco | Haiti | Scotland
Group D: United States | Paraguay | Australia | Turkey
Group E: Germany | Curaçao | Ivory Coast | Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands | Japan | Sweden | Tunisia
Group G: Belgium | Egypt | Iran | New Zealand
Group H: Spain | Cape Verde | Saudi Arabia | Uruguay
Group I: France | Senegal | Iraq | Norway
Group J: Argentina | Algeria | Austria | Jordan
Group K: Portugal | DR Congo | Uzbekistan | Colombia
Group L: England | Croatia | Ghana | Panama
Top Contenders
You can always expect to find the usual suspects atop the betting board, and 2026 is no exception. BetMGM has Spain, France, and England priced as the favorites in this year’s tournament, coming in at +450, +550, and +650, respectively.
From there, Brazil and Argentina are listed at +800, Portugal at +1000, and Germany at +1200. Assuredly, each one of those countries should be expected to reign atop their respective groups, guaranteeing a spot in the knockout round.
Notable Underdogs
With a bigger field than ever, there will certainly be some underdogs who overachieve relative to pre-tournament prognostications. Using handle and ticket count to infer where the money is heading, these teams at the bottom of the board are the key ones worth watching.
Morocco
Most notably, Morocco is a team that sharp bettors have on their radar. The North Africans are competing next to Brazil, Haiti, and Scotland in Group C, but they are collecting a relatively significant portion of the market among the longer teams on the board. As it stands, Morocco is priced as +6600 longshots, but its 1.4% handle is greater than its 1.0% ticket count. Don’t be surprised if those odds start to shorten once the World Cup begins.
Japan
Likewise, Japan is another team that has already started to see its odds drop. Once a +10000 dark horse, the Asian representatives have collected enough money to move to +6600. Granted, their 0.6% ticket count and 0.7% handle don’t represent a ton of market action. Still, that reflects a series of bigger wagers, and the line movement implies that BetMGM is looking to limit its liability. Playing next to the Netherlands, Sweden, and Tunisia in Group F, the Japanese are another team that could surprise.
Iran
Lastly, Iran is a team that BetMGM will be keeping a close eye on throughout the tournament. Sitting with staggering odds of +50000, the Iranians have collected more money than anyone else below the +10000 threshold. Currently, their 0.4% handle exceeds their 0.1% ticket count, suggesting that a few key wagers have come in on the Group G participants.
Significant Line Movement
While some of the aforementioned underdogs have seen a dramatic shift in their betting odds, the line movement isn’t exclusive to those squads. In fact, two of the top teams in the World Cup have seen their odds shrink as we approach kick off.
Spain
Undoubtedly, Spain stands out as the most prominent mover on the futures board. A soccer powerhouse, the Spaniards are eager to reclaim their mantle as the best soccer nation in the world. Spain has moved from +1000 to +450 on the strength of 13.4% of tickets and 15.4% of handle. Without a finals appearance since their championship win in 2010, Spain is a top contender for this year’s crown.
Portugal
Unlike their Mediterranean counterparts, Portugal doesn’t have any World Cup titles to boast about. The Portuguese have never made the final, last reaching the semifinals in 2006. But with 10.4% of the tickets and 11.1% of the handle, the Selecao are primed to deliver in this year’s edition. Portugal has seen its odds drop from +1400 to +1000, a direct reflection of the betting market’s confidence.
Final Thoughts
There will be no shortage of betting opportunities ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The World Cup winner will collect most of the attention, but Group Winners, The Golden Boot Award, and Stage of Elimination are all worth perusing ahead of this year’s festivities.
Stay tuned to all the betting odds, as we gear up for another exciting rendition of the World Cup!
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