World Cup 2026 winner odds
The table below compares the outright winner odds across four leading UK bookmakers after the first semi-final. All prices are shown in fractional format and were recorded on 15 July 2026. They can continue to move before the second semi-final and the final. For a fuller breakdown of the market, see our FIFA World Cup Winner Odds.
Tournament winner odds
Team | Bet365 | Ladbrokes | Sky Bet | AK Bets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Spain |
4/6
|
4/6
| 4/6 |
8/11
|
England |
3/1
|
3/1
| 3/1 |
10/3
|
Argentina |
4/1
|
7/2
| 7/2 |
17/4
|
Spain
Luis de la Fuente's side have found their best form at exactly the right moment. After a modest group stage, which began with a surprise 0–0 draw against Cape Verde, Spain beat Austria 3–0 in the Round of 32 and Portugal 1–0 in the Round of 16. They then defeated Belgium 2–1 in the quarter-finals.
Spain produced one of their strongest displays of the tournament in the semi-final, beating France 2–0. Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Nico Williams are combining more effectively in the final third, while the defence continues to hold up against elite opponents. After reaching the final, Spain are the clear favourites for the trophy at 4/6–8/11.
France
France justified their status as one of the main title contenders for most of the tournament. They beat Sweden 3–0 in the Round of 32, edged past Paraguay 1–0 in the Round of 16 and eliminated Morocco 2–0 in the quarter-finals. Kylian Mbappé led the attack with eight goals, while Ousmane Dembélé scored five.
Les Bleus reached the semi-finals without conceding a goal in the knockout stage, but Spain ended that run with a 2–0 victory. The defeat eliminated France from the title race. Mbappé remains level with Lionel Messi on eight goals, although he can no longer add to his total.
England
Thomas Tuchel's side have taken a more dramatic route to the semi-finals than the early odds suggested. England beat DR Congo 2–0 in the Round of 32 and Mexico 3–2 in the Round of 16 despite receiving a red card in the 54th minute. They then defeated Norway 2–1 after extra time in the quarter-finals.
England now face Argentina for a place in the final. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have six goals each, while Bukayo Saka remains central to England's attacking play. England have not reached a World Cup final since 1966, but bookmakers now make them the second favourites for the trophy at 3/1–10/3.
Argentina
The reigning champions reached the quarter-finals after a spectacular 3–2 comeback against Egypt in the Round of 16. Argentina trailed 0–2 until the closing stages, before Cristian Romero scored in the 79th minute, Lionel Messi equalised in the 83rd and Enzo Fernández completed the turnaround in the 90+3rd.
Argentina then beat Switzerland 3–1 after extra time in the quarter-finals, following a draw at the end of 90 minutes. They now meet England in the second semi-final. Argentina are priced at 7/2–17/4 to retain the trophy, while Messi is the clear Golden Boot favourite before the match.
Norway
Norway were the revelation of the tournament. They beat Ivory Coast 2–1 in the Round of 32 and eliminated Brazil by the same score in the Round of 16. Their run ended in the quarter-finals, where England won 2–1 after extra time. Erling Haaland finished the campaign with seven goals.
Brazil, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal
Brazil
Brazil produced one of the biggest surprises of the tournament, in the negative sense. The Seleção got past Japan 2–1 in the Round of 32 thanks to a Gabriel Martinelli goal in the 90+6th minute — a result that highlighted the team's qualities and vulnerabilities in equal measure. In the Round of 16, Norway exploited exactly those vulnerabilities: the score stayed level until the 79th minute, then two Norwegian goals in the 79th and 90th minutes made it 2–1. Vinícius Jr's goal deep into stoppage time was mere consolation. For Carlo Ancelotti, his first World Cup on the Brazil bench closes brutally, in the Round of 16. For Vinícius, who had been keeping pace in the Golden Boot race, the odds have been pulled from the market.
Germany
Germany were dramatically eliminated in the Round of 32. Die Mannschaft drew 1–1 with Paraguay and lost the shoot-out 3–4, with a controversial moment when Jonathan Tah's equaliser was ruled out on VAR review. Julian Nagelsmann thus completes Germany's third consecutive World Cup without reaching the quarter-finals. Their outright odds, already cautious compared with previous editions (12/1–14/1), were fully withdrawn from the market after the match.
Netherlands
The Netherlands are also out at the Round of 32 stage, beaten on penalties by Morocco (2–2 in normal time, 3–2 to Morocco in the shoot-out). Ronald Koeman has already left his post after the match. Outright odds of 17/1–20/1 from the start of the tournament have disappeared from the ante-post market.
Portugal
Portugal were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Spain, 0–1, in Los Angeles. Roberto Martínez's side dominated long spells of the match through Bruno Fernandes, João Neves and Vitinha, but could not turn possession into goals. For Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, this was likely his last World Cup. Outright odds have been pulled from the market.
World Cup 2026 Golden Boot odds
The first semi-final has reshaped the Golden Boot market. Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé remain level on eight goals, but France's elimination means Mbappé cannot add to his total. Messi is therefore the clear favourite before Argentina face England in the second semi-final.
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham have six goals each and remain live contenders. Mikel Oyarzabal is Spain's shortest-priced option on five goals, although the bookmakers still treat him as a long shot. The table compares current fractional prices at three UK bookmakers.
Golden Boot winner odds
Knockout stage: bracket and fixtures
The new 48-team format means a knockout stage with 32 teams — one extra round compared to previous World Cups.
2026 World Cup semi-finals: predictions and betting
Spain are already through to the 2026 World Cup final after beating France 2–0 in the first semi-final. In the remaining tie, England are narrow favourites to win in 90 minutes at 5/3. The draw is priced at 2/1, with Argentina at 21/10.
Both remaining teams needed extra time in the quarter-finals. England beat Norway 2–1, while Argentina defeated Switzerland 3–1 after the match was level at the end of 90 minutes. England's shorter outright price gives them a slight market edge, but the semi-final odds show a closely matched contest.
Date | Match | 1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
14 July 2026 | France 0–2 Spain | 7/5 | 9/4 | 23/10 |
15 July 2026 | England v Argentina | 5/3 | 2/1 | 21/10 |
2026 World Cup quarter-final results
The four quarter-finals produced 12 goals. All four pre-match favourites progressed, although two ties required extra time: Argentina beat Switzerland 3–1, and England defeated Norway 2–1. France beat Morocco 2–0 and Spain overcame Belgium 2–1 in normal time.
Match | 1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
Argentina 3–1 Switzerland (after extra time) | 8/11 | 5/2 | 5/1 |
Norway 1–2 England (after extra time) | 13/4 | 11/4 | 5/6 |
France 2–0 Morocco | 8/13 | 3/1 | 11/2 |
Spain 2–1 Belgium | 4/6 | 3/1 | 9/2 |
2026 World Cup Round of 16 results
The 2026 World Cup Round of 16 produced 8 matches and 23 goals, not counting shoot-outs. Favourites won 5 matches, underdogs 2, and one tie ended level in normal time. In 6 of the 8 matches the nominal away side went through — the exceptions being Switzerland and Argentina.
|
Round of 16 results |
1 |
X |
2 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Switzerland 1–0 Colombia (on penalties) |
5/2 |
19/10 |
11/8 |
|
Argentina 3–2 Egypt |
1/3 |
15/4 |
10/1 |
|
USA 1–4 Belgium |
6/4 |
9/4 |
15/8 |
|
Brazil 1–2 Norway |
4/5 |
11/4 |
15/4 |
|
Mexico 2–3 England |
21/10 |
2/1 |
6/4 |
|
Portugal 0–1 Spain |
3/1 |
5/2 |
evens |
|
Paraguay 0–1 France |
16/1 |
11/2 |
1/5 |
|
Canada 0–3 Morocco |
4/1 |
9/4 |
5/6 |
2026 World Cup Round of 32 results
The 2026 World Cup Round of 32 produced 16 matches and 45 goals, as shown below. Favourites won 11 matches; no underdogs won; and 5 matches finished level in normal time.
|
Round of 32 results |
1 |
X |
2 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Argentina 3–2 Cape Verde (after extra time) |
1/7 |
7/1 |
20/1 |
|
Colombia 1–0 Ghana |
4/9 |
10/3 |
15/2 |
|
Australia 1–2 Egypt (on penalties) |
5/2 |
9/5 |
11/8 |
|
Portugal 2–1 Croatia |
4/6 |
11/4 |
9/2 |
|
Switzerland 2–0 Algeria |
evens |
11/5 |
10/3 |
|
Belgium 3–2 Senegal (after extra time) |
10/11 |
12/5 |
3/1 |
|
Spain 3–0 Austria |
1/3 |
4/1 |
9/1 |
|
USA 2–0 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
4/11 |
4/1 |
15/2 |
|
England 2–1 DR Congo |
3/10 |
4/1 |
12/1 |
|
France 3–0 Sweden |
2/7 |
5/1 |
9/1 |
|
Mexico 2–0 Ecuador |
5/4 |
7/4 |
3/1 |
|
Germany 1–2 Paraguay (on penalties) |
1/3 |
4/1 |
17/2 |
|
Ivory Coast 1–2 Norway |
5/2 |
23/10 |
11/10 |
|
Netherlands 1–2 Morocco (on penalties) |
11/8 |
21/10 |
23/10 |
|
Brazil 2–1 Japan |
8/11 |
5/2 |
4/1 |
|
South Africa 0–1 Canada |
4/1 |
23/10 |
5/6 |
🧐 How to Bet on the 2026 World Cup
How to choose a World Cup betting site — expert tips from Legalbet
You can bet on the 2026 World Cup at any of the UK's licensed betting sites. To find the best bookmaker for the World Cup, you need to compare them. Operators know full well that a major tournament brings in plenty of newcomers, so they work hard to attract them with strong offers — which makes it worth spending a little extra time on your choice.
At Legalbet we regularly test bookmakers, claim the offers and withdraw winnings. Based on that experience, here is what I would look at first.
A UK Gambling Commission licence is the baseline filter. Legal UK bookmakers hold a UKGC licence, ring-fence customer funds and follow strict rules on fair play and responsible gambling. If an operator is not in our ratings, you risk problems getting paid. In my experience, with licensed bookmakers a dispute can usually be resolved — including through an independent adjudicator such as IBAS. With unlicensed, offshore operators that is rarely possible.
Market depth. A good benchmark for a single match is 200+ markets: over/unders, handicaps, goalscorers, corners, cards, correct score and player markets. At the 2026 World Cup, markets such as to qualify from the group and to reach the final will be popular. Because of the knockout rounds, you will also find markets on penalty shoot-outs. Not every fixture will have the same depth of markets, though — much depends on the profile of the tie. To my mind, World Cup Betting Tips are a good place to start when weighing up where the value lies.
Margins and odds. On top events the bookmaker margin is typically 4–6%. The lower it is, the bigger the odds and your potential return. Even a small difference in the price matters, especially on larger stakes. It is particularly noticeable how differently operators rate England and France.
Tip: hold accounts at several bookmakers and take the best available price each time. If you already have accounts in different places and spot a meaningful difference in the odds, you will not waste time registering at the crucial moment.
Offers. Always read the terms before opting in. For the World Cup, UK bookmakers traditionally run special promotions on top of their welcome offers. You can also grab exclusive sign-up Free Bets — see all the latest World Cup Free Bets. My advice is not to chase the biggest headline figure but to study the qualifying-bet requirement, the minimum odds and the expiry date carefully.
Mobile app and in-play. Test the app before the tournament starts. Many 2026 World Cup matches kick off late in the evening or overnight UK time. If you plan to bet from your phone, make sure the app is stable and that in-play bets are accepted without delay. Also look at the Cash Out feature — at Bet365 and Coral it is implemented well.
In short: choose a bookmaker that offers strong promotions, deep markets and a reliable app. Compare the odds via Legalbet before every bet. And, most importantly — only ever play with licensed UK bookmakers.
Best betting sites for the World Cup
When picking a World Cup betting site, remember there is no single “best” operator — each one is strong in different areas. It is wiser to judge them across the key criteria together: ease of use, market depth, the competitiveness of the prices and extras such as offers and the quality of the in-play product.
That approach helps you find the platform that best fits your own style and avoid missing value during the tournament. For our full shortlist, see the Best FIFA World Cup Betting Sites.
Bet365 — Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
WC margin: 4–6% · Min deposit: £5 · Licence: UKGC
#ad / 18+. New customers only. Min deposit £5. Place qualifying bets equal to your deposit (up to a £10 cap); at least one selection must be at odds of 1/5 (1.20) or greater. Receive 300% in Free Bet Credits up to £30. Upon settlement of qualifying bets, it is available as Bet Credits. 1× wagering on bonus only. Free Bets valid 7 days. Stake not returned. Excludes PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafecard and prepaid cards. Withdrawal requests void active/pending bonuses. Full T&Cs apply. Play responsibly. www.begambleaware.org
Betfred — Bet £10, Get £40 + 50 Free Spins
WC margin: 4–5% · Min deposit: £10 · Licence: UKGC
#ad / 18+. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Place first bet of £10+ on any qualifying Sportsbook market at odds of Evens (2.0) or greater, which must settle within 7 days of registering. Receive £40 in Free Bets as 3×£10 (any sportsbook markets) + 2×£10 (Accumulators), plus 50 Free Spins on selected casino games. 1× wagering on bonus bets only. Free Bets valid 7 days. Stake not returned. Debit Card, Apple Pay or TrueLayer deposits only. Withdrawal requests void active/pending bonuses. Full T&Cs apply. Play responsibly. www.begambleaware.org
Coral — Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets
WC margin: 3–5% · Min deposit: £5 · Licence: UKGC
#ad / 18+. New customers only. Min deposit £5. Place first bet of £5+ at odds of 1/2 (1.50) or greater. Receive £20 in Free Bets. 1× wagering on bonus bets only. Bonus valid 7 days. Stake not returned. Excludes PayPal, Skrill and Neteller deposits. Withdrawal requests void active/pending bonuses. Full T&Cs apply. Play responsibly. www.begambleaware.org
Bwin — Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
WC margin: 5–6% · Min deposit: £10 · Licence: UKGC
#ad / 18+. New customers only. Bet £5 or more at combined odds of 1/2 (1.50) or higher. Receive 4×£5 Free Bets (£20 total). 1× wagering on bonus bets only. Bonus valid 7 days. Stake not returned. Excludes prepaid cards, Moneybookers, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller and Skrill deposits. Full T&Cs apply. Play responsibly. www.begambleaware.org
Virgin Bet — Bet £10, Get £20 in Free Bets
WC margin: 5–7% · Min deposit: £10 · Licence: UKGC
#ad / 18+. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Place first bet of £10+ at min odds 1/2 (1.50), which must settle within 14 days. Receive £20 Free Bet (£10 on sport + £10 on Bet Builder). 1× wagering on bonus bets only. Bonus valid 7 days. Stake not returned. Excludes prepaid, virtual and disposable cards. Withdrawal requests void active/pending bonuses. Full T&Cs apply. Play responsibly. www.begambleaware.org
Hollywoodbets — Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets
WC margin: 4–5% · Min deposit: £10 · Licence: UKGC
#ad / 18+. New customers only. Min deposit £10 via Visa/Mastercard. Place first bet of £10+ containing at least 3 legs at combined odds of 4/1 (5.0) or greater. Receive £30 as 3×£10 Free Bets: one for any 3+ leg acca, one for any 3+ leg Build a Bet, one for any live betting selection. 1× wagering on bonus bets only. Promotion valid 7 days. Stake not returned. Withdrawal requests void active/pending bonuses. Full T&Cs apply. Play responsibly. www.begambleaware.org
Best World Cup 2026 bets
Now that group play is over, the strongest-value markets shift to knockout-specific bets. Here are the angles UK punters are leaning on for the remainder of the tournament:
Outright winner
France at 11/4 to 7/2 remain the favourite, but each-way value sits with Argentina (7/2 to 7/1) and Spain (5/1 to 7/1). Most UK sportsbooks pay 1/4 the odds on the top 2 outright places for the tournament. For the full picture, see the FIFA World Cup Winner Odds.
Top Goalscorer (In-Play)
Messi heads the market on 6 goals at around 20/21 (1.95). Mbappé second at 14/5 (3.80), then Dembélé (12/1), Vinícius (16/1), Kane (18/1) and Haaland (22/1). Worth a flutter if any of them have a friendly R16 fixture. For the latest prices and analysis, see our World Cup Top Goalscorer Odds. A separate award worth a look is the Golden Ball for the tournament's best player — our World Cup Best Player Odds cover the favourites for that market.
Match total goals (over/under)
Knockout football historically goes under 2.5 more often than the group stage — average of ~2.3 goals/match across recent R32/R16 rounds. Under 2.5 in evenly-matched ties is the standard knockout-stage play.
To reach the final
If you're not committing to an outright winner, "to reach the final" is the sweet spot: France 13/10, Argentina 7/4, England 16/5, Spain 7/2, Brazil 11/2, Portugal 7/1.
To reach the semi-finals
Argentina lead this market at 4/11 (1.61), with France at evens (1/1), Spain 13/10, England 29/20, Brazil 14/5, Portugal 31/10.
Accumulator bets on knockout matches
A 4-fold of favourites in the next round of fixtures typically returns around 3/1 to 4/1 — modest but reliable on a paper-rich knockout day. Always check operator-specific acca-boost offers before placing your bet.
How to place a World Cup football bet
Once a new punter has chosen an operator, placing a first World Cup bet takes just a few steps. For a complete walkthrough, see How to Bet on the 2026 World Cup.
- Register on the site or in the app. When filling in the form, opt in to the welcome offer so you qualify for the Free Bets.
- Verify your account. UK Gambling Commission rules require age and identity verification (KYC) before you can bet and withdraw. It usually takes a few minutes with a valid ID and can be done online.
- Deposit funds using a debit card, PayPal, Apple Pay or another supported method. The minimum is typically £5–£10.
- Find the match. Go to Football → World Cup 2026, or simply type the name of the nation you are interested in into the search bar.
- Pick your selection. Tap the odds and they are added to your bet slip. For an acca, tap three or more prices.
- Enter your stake on the bet slip and tap “Place bet”. The bet is accepted instantly.
You can follow the match in the in-play section. Winnings are credited to your account within a few minutes of the final whistle.
Everything you need to know about the 2026 World Cup
This is the 23rd World Cup and the first to be hosted across three countries at once (the USA, Canada and Mexico). It is also the first to use the expanded 48-team format: 104 matches will be played instead of the 64 at previous tournaments. UEFA's quota is 16 teams and CONMEBOL has 6 direct places. A further 6 places go to Africa, 8 to Asia and 1 to Oceania. The last two participants were decided through intercontinental play-offs.
Round of 32 bracket and knockout schedule
The expanded 48-team format produces a 32-team knockout bracket — a new round for World Cup viewers. Below is the Round of 32 fixture list, with kick-off times in UK time (BST) and host city. Results are filled in as matches are played.
Round of 32 — full fixture list (28 June – 4 July 2026)
|
Date |
Fixture |
Kick-off (BST) |
Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sun 28 Jun |
South Africa 0–1 Canada |
13:00 |
Los Angeles |
|
Mon 29 Jun |
Brazil 2–1 Japan (Martinelli 90+6') |
17:00 |
Houston |
|
Mon 29 Jun |
Germany 1–1 Paraguay (Paraguay won 4–3 on pens) |
21:00 |
Foxborough |
|
Tue 30 Jun |
Netherlands 2–2 Morocco (Morocco won 3–2 on pens) |
08:00 |
Guadalajara |
|
Tue 30 Jun |
Ivory Coast vs Norway |
18:00 |
Arlington |
|
Tue 30 Jun |
France vs Sweden |
22:00 |
East Rutherford (NJ) |
|
Wed 01 Jul |
Mexico vs Ecuador |
02:00 |
Mexico City |
|
Wed 01 Jul |
England vs DR Congo |
17:00 |
Atlanta |
|
Wed 01 Jul |
Belgium vs Senegal |
21:00 |
Seattle |
|
Thu 02 Jul |
USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina |
01:00 |
Santa Clara |
|
Thu 02 Jul |
Spain vs Austria |
20:00 |
Los Angeles |
|
Fri 03 Jul |
Portugal vs Croatia |
00:00 |
Toronto |
|
Fri 03 Jul |
Switzerland vs Algeria |
04:00 |
Vancouver |
|
Fri 03 Jul |
Australia vs Egypt |
19:00 |
Arlington |
|
Fri 03 Jul |
Argentina vs Cape Verde |
23:00 |
Miami |
|
Sat 04 Jul |
Colombia vs Ghana |
02:30 |
Kansas City |
Frequently Asked Questions About World Cup 2026 Betting
Yes. Outright winner and “to reach the final” markets are already open at Bet365, Betfred and Coral. You can also bet on the opening round of fixtures, with some sites already pricing up Matchday 2 fixtures.
At most UK bookmakers the minimum deposit is around £5–£10, and the minimum stake can be as little as 10p–£1. The exact figures depend on the operator and the payment method.
A total (over/under) is a bet on the combined number of goals (for example, “over 2.5 goals”). A handicap is a notional head start or deficit given to a team (for example, a -1.5 handicap means the team must win by at least two goals).
A pre-match bet is placed before kick-off at a fixed price. In-Play bets are placed during the match, with prices that change constantly, so they require quicker decisions, so beginners are usually better starting with pre-match.
No — once a bet is placed it cannot be cancelled, which is standard. The exception is Cash Out (and, on some sites, Edit Bet), which lets you lock in part of your return or cut potential losses before the match ends.
First contact the bookmaker's customer support. If you are not happy with the response, you can escalate to an independent adjudicator — in the UK that is usually IBAS (the Independent Betting Adjudication Service),the alternative dispute resolution body most licensed operators are registered with.
UK bookmakers can limit the stakes they accept from a customer, which is legal. If you feel a restriction is unjustified, ask customer support for an explanation; unresolved disputes can be referred to IBAS.
