How to Bet on the FIFA World Cup: 2026 World Cup Betting Advice

The 2026 World Cup is likely to be one of the biggest sporting events in history, especially from a betting perspective.

The tourney is approaching quickly. Here's some good information to know ahead of the global event.

Betting odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook's World Cup odds and are subject to change after this article is published.

How to bet on the 2026 World Cup.

How to Bet on the 2026 World Cup

How to Bet Single World Cup Matches

Inside the World Cup odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, you’ll find a myriad of bet types on any given match. The baseline is the 3-way moneyline on each match. Sometimes called the "1x2," it's the bread and butter for soccer bettors but may seem foreign to those used to betting other American sports.

The "1" refers to the home side or Team 1. The "x" in the middle is the draw outcome, and the away side or Team 2 is the "2." All grading on 1x2 bets is based on 90 minutes of play plus stoppage time, not extra time. The match is considered to have gone full-time once referee-added stoppage time has expired after 90 minutes. Anything that happens in extra time (akin to American overtime) or penalty shootouts does not factor into the 1x2 result. Did you bet the draw in a USA-Mexico knockout match? If the match goes to extra time tied 1-1, you have won the wager.

Asian handicaps are another common soccer bet that is different from markets of the Big 4 American sports. Asian handicaps smooth out mismatches by altering the spread and making it easy for the bettor to split their bet between 2 outcomes, essentially creating a small ladder.

Having France -1.5 means Les Bleus must win by 2 goals for you to cash, but France -1.25 in the Asian handicap market means your wager is split with half on France -1 and half on France -1.5. You win the full wager if France wins by 2+ goals but get some of your money back if France beats their opponent by only 1 goal.

The standard over/under for a World Cup match is 2.5 goals, with books usually adjusting odds rather than moving the line off 2.5. You can also zero in on a single attack with team goal totals or bet into Both Teams To Score (BTTS) markets.

World Cup Outrights and Futures

Every 4 years, millions of soccer fans around the world wait eagerly for the release of World Cup futures odds. The headline market is the outright winner -- who will hoist the trophy at MetLife in July -- but bettors can wager on anything from a team to make the final, to make the quarterfinals, to advance past the group stage, or even to finish in exactly 3rd place in their group.

With the increase from 32 to 48 teams at the 2026 World Cup, the outright betting market has been impacted. The World Cup has notoriously been a top-heavy event with only the most prestigious teams winning championships. No one outside of Europe or South America has ever even played in the final.

The outright odds, however, are more evenly spread in 2026, reflecting a belief that an extra round in the knockout stage may increase variance and give those 2nd-tier teams a fighting chance. Below is a table breaking down equity share in the 2026 World Cup outright betting market:

Outright betting markets for the World Cup date back to 1986. Before that, it was much more difficult to find reliable data. That gives us a large sample of 10 World Cups, which we can compare this year’s outright odds distribution.

The biggest change is at the top, where the top-5 teams in the 2026 World Cup championship odds only combine for slightly above 50% of the tournament's equity. This is lower than usual. Some years we’ve seen this number as high as 80%.

This is a direct result of FIFA‘s decision to expand the field by 50% and add an extra round in the knockout stage. Under the old format, teams had to win only 4 consecutive knockout matches to be the champion. They must now win 5. That’s a 20% increase.

That second tier of teams between +1001 and +2500 in the table accounts for a rather large sum of 23% of the equity. Those 5 teams are Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway. That's an interesting group and one where there may be value to be had.

In an effort to avoid the best teams in the world from meeting each other too early in the knockout rounds, FIFA organized the Round of 32 in such a way that the top-4 teams in the FIFA World Ranking will each start in their own corner of the bracket, provided they win their group. This will ensure they do not face off for as long as possible.

Should one or more of these elite teams stumble, it is the teams in the second tier that will assume those advantageous spots. If a team like Germany or Portugal ends up with very winnable matchups in the Rounds of 32 and 16, they become more likely to take down the tournament than what the market is currently saying.

The Best Mid-to-Longshot Outrights at the 2026 World Cup

That +2501 to +5000 tier of teams is composed solely of Morocco and Colombia. These are both Pot 2 teams who would have shorter outright odds given a more favorable group draw, but are at the odds they're at because they are not the favorite in their group.

Morocco shares group C with Brazil, while Colombia shares group K with Portugal. At first glance, Morocco and Colombia might not seem like good bets as they will likely be going into the knockout rounds as a second-place group finisher, but that’s before accounting for how favorably they match up with the top dog in their group.

We’ve discussed in our group-stage betting guide how Morocco is extremely live against Brazil, as is Colombia against Portugal. Pulling off an upset in the group stage or even playing to a draw with the top dog would likely shorten futures odds for both of these squads.

The biggest anomaly of the 2026 World Cup outright betting market is that a large fourth tier of teams in the +5001 to +10000 range. Look back at the outright odds of previous tournaments. This much equity this far down the board does not exist. Thanks to the new format, teams in this range -- like USA, Mexico, Uruguay, Switzerland, and Japan -- are much more live than they would have been in the previous format.

Switzerland, especially, is one of my favorite outright group winner plays on the board because it received the most favorable draw a Pot 2 team could receive in this tournament. Switzerland shares a group with co-host Canada, the weakest Pot 1 team (by far). Although Switzerland is ranked only 17th in the FIFA World Rankings, they are even money to win their group.

Obviously, Switzerland is hardly the most talented team that we’ve mentioned today, but giving the 17th-best team in the world winnable matchups in the Rounds of 32 and 16 would make them a loose cannon later in the knockout stages. Ask Germany -- sometimes just getting to that stage is the hardest part. Should Switzerland embark down the path we think they could into the knockout stage, their futures odds would begin to shorten (possibly considerably).

In short, the expanded format may be creating some value on teams who previously wouldn't have had much of a shot of advancing deep into the tourney.

Frequently Asked Questions About World Cup Betting

What is the most popular World Cup bet?

Outright winner (who lifts the trophy) is the most popular single futures market. Match-by-match, the moneyline is the most popular individual game bet, followed by total goals over/under.

Does a draw count in World Cup match betting?

Yes, in group stage betting, all three outcomes — home win, draw, away win — are valid results. In knockout stage betting, most markets apply to 90 minutes only, meaning a draw after 90 minutes is a valid result even if extra time and penalties determine the actual winner. Always check FanDuel's market description.

What happens to my bet if a match goes to extra time?

If you bet on a team to "win" the match on FanDuel and the game ends in a draw after 90 minutes, your bet typically loses (for moneyline bets) or voids (for draw no bet markets). The "to advance" market covers extra time and penalties and is a separate bet type.

When is the 2026 World Cup Final?

The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Who is the favorite to win the 2026 World Cup?

Spain leads the betting board at +450 on FanDuel Sportsbook, followed by France at +550 and England at +650.

Who is defending champion at the 2026 World Cup?

Argentina are the defending champions, having won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in a penalty shootout against France.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.