2026 World Cup Winner Odds: Will the German make England champions?

The European qualification for the 2026 World Cup is starting. Bookmakers have no doubt about England making it through. However, they are not the main favorites for the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

Who Will Win the World Cup 2026?

Brazil

11/2

Spain

11/2

France

6/1

What bets have the bookmakers prepared? Is it already possible to name the main contenders? We will tell you everything and offer the best investment options.

World Cup 2026 Winner Odds

Despite some discrepancies, the main favourite is almost unanimously Brazil.

Favourites to win World Cup 2026

For some, Germany replaces Argentina in the top five, with odds of 9/1 The point is clear: bookmakers have almost no disagreements about the top 5-6 teams. And that makes sense. Over the last six World Cups, only once did a team outside the top five favourites win. In Qatar, Messi and company unexpectedly outran everyone. On the other hand, in those same six World Cups, only twice did the early top favourite win: Brazil in 2002 and France in 2018.

England’s Chances at the 2026 World Cup

The Three Lions have one of the weakest groups in the qualifiers. They are the top favourites in Group K, with odds of 3/20 At the same time, in the Nations League, England only narrowly won their Group 2 in League B, edging out Greece on goal difference.

However, that was still under caretaker Lee Carsley. Now they have a full-time superstar coach, Thomas Tuchel, the third foreign manager in the national team's history. His two predecessors failed to reach for the stars.

Foreign Managers of England

German managers rank second for winning major titles, just behind their Brazilian counterparts. What really sets Tuchel apart, though, is his ability to deliver silverware—and fast. He won his first trophy with Chelsea just four months after taking charge, and it took him only two months to pick up his first with Bayern Munich. Even at Borussia Dortmund, he led them to a DFB-Pokal victory in his first season.

Naturally, the comparisons with Gareth Southgate are hard to avoid. Under him, England became the only team to lose back-to-back Euro finals. And let’s not forget the ultra-defensive tactics that left fans frustrated and stifled some of the squad’s biggest talents.

Southgate vs Tuchel

This isn’t even the most attacking side Tuchel’s ever coached—but it might be the one that mirrors England best. Packed with talent but not always seen as the frontrunner. And for this England team, Tuchel feels like the perfect match. His track record for pulling off big wins when it matters—like leading Chelsea to a Champions League title as 4/1 underdogs against Guardiola’s City—speaks for itself.

For the first time, England’s golden generation might have a coach to match their talent. Kane, Bellingham, Trent, and the rest have earned their shot at a trophy. Palmer and Saka are both in the Premier League’s top five for assists, while the Madueke-Palmer link-up has been one of the league’s most productive—Palmer setting up Madueke four times already this season. And Kane is tied for second in the Champions League scoring charts.

Sure, England are the only team to have lost two Euro finals in a row. But when it comes to the World Cup, they’re one of just three nations with a 100% record in finals: one appearance, one trophy.

Odds on England to win World Cup 2026

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7/1

Main Favourites

A European team has only won the World Cup once when it was held outside of Europe. That’s probably another reason why Brazil, according to the bookmakers, are considered the main favourites.

Brazil

The five-time champions haven’t lifted the trophy since 2002. This is now the longest drought in their history, matching their previous longest stretch without a World Cup title.

Brazil’s Titles

Brazil has never gone six consecutive World Cups without winning the title. On top of that, the last time the tournament was held in the USA, back in 1994, they came out on top. In fact, Brazil has won three out of the eight World Cups played in the Americas—that’s 37.5%. No other nation comes close to that record.

Of course, there are concerns after Brazil’s disappointing performance at the last Copa America, where they were knocked out in the quarterfinals, losing to Uruguay on penalties. But as always, they have a stacked squad. Even Neymar is dreaming of one last swan song. Raphinha leads La Liga in key passes, is the top scorer in the Champions League, and is currently the frontrunner for the Ballon d’Or at 2/1 Real Madrid’s magic relies heavily on Vinicius and Rodrygo, and we’ve already seen what Alisson is capable of in that first match against PSG in Paris.

Brazil odds to Win World Cup 2026

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6/1

Spain

Spain, while impressive at Euro 2024, is still a bit of a wildcard. The new talent, like Yamal and Cubarsi, won’t even be 20 by the time the World Cup rolls around. On the flip side, key players like Carvajal and possibly Rodri could miss the tournament.

Spain made history at the Euros, becoming the first team to win every match in both the group stage and knockout rounds. However, their World Cup performance in 2022 was a different story, as they were knocked out by Morocco after a disastrous penalty shootout.

Winning multiple major tournaments in a row is rare, but Spain has the longest streak—winning 2 Euros and a World Cup from 2008 to 2012. Could this new generation of stars be the start of another streak?

Spain odds to Win World Cup 2026

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6/1

France

Based on Euro 2024, France seems to have fallen short of their previous potential. They were one of the youngest teams at the 2022 World Cup, but by 2026, many of their seasoned leaders will be retiring or winding down their careers. Among the Euro 2024 semifinalists, France has the second-oldest squad, after Spain.

That said, European teams are strengthening their grip on the World Cup. Of the last five tournaments, only one was won by a non-European team, and only twice has a non-European team made it to the final.

France odds to Win World Cup 2026

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6/1

Argentina

Another Latin American contender in the top 5 is Argentina. However, to see them as true favorites is something only the most loyal fans might believe. Only twice in history has the reigning champion successfully defended its title, and the last time this happened was over 60 years ago.

Ángel Di María is retiring, and Nicolás Otamendi will be 38 in two years. Messi can no longer carry the team alone, as evidenced by Inter Miami’s early playoff exit. That said, Argentina showed they have depth when they won the Copa América, with Lautaro Martínez stepping up as the Golden Boot winner—even without starting most games.

Argentina odds to Win World Cup 2026

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10/1

FIFA World Cup Champions

Finally, let’s recollect who has won the title throughout history. Brazil hold the most champions, with Germany and Italy following right behind them.