There are just a few weeks until the 2026 FIFA World Cup returns. 48 countries are set to travel to North America for games across the USA, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Millions of football fans from around the world will be glued to their screens as they follow every minute of action. And many will be trying to predict who the eventual winners of the competition will be.
Predicting who will lift the trophy is one of the most popular ways to bet during any World Cup. Often combined with another outright, such as the Golden Boot winner, punters looking to build their World Cup betting slip can use aceodds calculators to check out potential returns on current odds.
But who are the current favourites as world football gears up for the competition? Here’s a look at the five nations that sportsbooks believe have the best chances of success.
Spain
Having tasted success at Euro 2024, Spain are heading to the 2026 World Cup as the joint-favourites. Since lifting the trophy in South Africa back in 2010, form has not been on their side, as evidenced by their group stage elimination in 2014 followed by back-to-back round of 16 finishes.
But any questions regarding their pedigree were answered two years ago when they became European champions again. Their current squad is full of talent, including Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, considered by some to be the best player in the world currently. For those reasons, bookmakers currently have them at 9/2 to win the competition for just the second time in their history.
France
Having won the World Cup in 2018 and finished as runners-up in 2022, it feels strange that France are not considered outright favourites heading into the competition. But Les Bleus have been given odds of 9/2 by most sportsbooks, who consider them to be as strong as Spain.
Hugo Ekitike’s achilles injury for Liverpool was a slight blow to Didier Deschamps’ hopes of World Cup success. But France has an incredible pool of players to call upon, such as Kylian Mbappé, Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé, and many others.
England
England have come close to success at recent international competitions, but with Thomas Tuchel now their manager, will things change in 2026? The head coach has proven he has what it takes to win knockout tournaments, most notably at Chelsea, where he won the Champions League.
The Three Lions’ squad has plenty of match-winners – including Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane – which is why they are generally priced at 13/2 to win a first World Cup in 60 years. But the question of whether they can exorcise demons from their past still looms over the team.
Brazil
Considering what Carlo Ancelotti and Vinicius Junior accomplished together at Real Madrid, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Brazil triumph at a World Cup for the first time since 2002. Nevertheless, the country is currently slated as the fourth-strongest contender for the trophy at 8/1.
There’s quality across the pitch, from Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhães to Barcelona’s Raphinha, but the big question right now is whether Neymar might earn a spot in the squad. The 34-year-old is pushing for a place in the side, but faces a race against time if he is to displace the likes of Rayan.
Argentina
The reigning world champions are currently seen as potential contenders for the trophy with general odds of 17/2, but might find life difficult against the best teams in the competition. Although they finished top of the CONMEBOL standings after qualifying matches, losses to Ecuador, Paraguay, Colombia, and Uruguay demonstrated that Argentina are not invincible.
Lionel Scaloni will be able to call on Lionel Messi for the final time, as the Inter Miami star prepares for the end of his international career. He’s still capable of match-winning moments, though, and with new stars like Nico Paz emerging to help Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández, and Emiliano Martínez, La Albiceleste are well-placed for a deep run in the competition.
