World Cup 2026: Our Experts Share Their World Cup Picks
There are few sporting events that rival the FIFA World Cup, and this year, all eyes will be on North America, as Mexico, Canada, and the United States hosts the biggest event on the calendar.
With 48 teams involved and 104 matches played during this year’s competition, it is the biggest World Cup in history. Therefore, the World Cup will be one of the biggest betting events in history.
Fortunately, our experts are on hand to share their picks for the 2026 World Cup, including selections for a winner, Golden Boot, and nations that could outperform or underperform their odds. Find the selections of the VegasOdds team here.
World Cup Expert Picks: Who Will Win The World Cup?
Alex: France, England, and Argentina could all be vulnerable at the top of the betting, with the climate likely to go against many of the European nations. However, one team that it could suit is Roberto Martinez’s Portugal.
Led by the best number ten in world soccer this season, Bruno Fernandes, the nation has a stacked squad brimming with world-class talent from top to bottom. How Martinez deals with the noise around Cristiano Ronaldo will be fascinating.
But the bracket could open up for them, with a fascinating clash against Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the round of 16 and a collision with England in the quarterfinals. At the odds, they are my main choice.
Nikola: We didn’t speak about this one, but Alex and I share the same opinion, though for different reasons. The Portuguese team has an ideal balance, with each line on the field equally strong and players who know their roles. It’s not all about Cristiano anymore, but about the team in general.
Also, the majority of their players are coming relatively fresh, without demanding seasons (apart from Vitinha and Mendes). Many of the Portuguese starters didn’t require any extra effort in the previous several weeks because their teams didn’t have too many important games.
Richard: Brazil may have had its worst qualifying cycle since 2002, but they still carry heavy expectations as one of the favorites to lift the trophy. They have the right manager for the job in Carlo Ancelotti, who has extensive experience in managing clubs through deep runs in the UEFA Champions League, especially with Real Madrid.
The Samba Boys will be missing key players in Rodrygo, Eder Militao, and rising star Estevao due to injuries. Despite that, they still possess a potent attack in Vinicius Jr., Raphinha, and young starlet Endrick while boasting talented defenders in Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Neymar will be a huge factor on the team, currently recovering from an injury, but he will be ready for the group stage. They have balance in all areas, but what matters is whether they can handle the immense pressure that has plagued them in past World Cups. Luckily for them, Ancelotti seems to be the right coach to help them on that path.
World Cup Expert Picks: Who Will Win The Golden Boot?
Alex: Harry Kane would be an interesting selection if there was a guarantee he would play in England’s MD3 clash with Panama. However, since the Three Lions may have progressed already, the striker will likely be rested. Therefore, at a price, Kai Havertz could be of interest.
The German has a reliable record for the national team, scoring seven in his last 15 appearances. Havertz could open the campaign with a couple of goals against Curacao, before netting in a win against the Ivory Coast.
Nikola: Messi. Why? First of all, he’s magical, and second, remember what we said about the officiating and how it helped the Argentinians win the previous World Cup. Messi scored 4 times from the penalty spot in Qatar. Needless to say more.
Group stage rivals aren’t that tough, and Argentina should routinely beat them with Alvarez and Messi leading the way and setting up goals for one another. With two or three games in the knockout rounds, where his chances of scoring are even better than in the group stage Messi could get the Golden Boot.
Richard: It shouldn’t be a question as to whether Kylian Mbappe will be among the top goalscorers in the World Cup. Matter of fact, he will be as he already proved that in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
It would be stunning if he doesn’t bag three goals during the group stage, even against quality squads like Senegal and Norway. France’s group stands out as the Group of Death, but that won’t mean they will back down against the competition.
That is especially the case for Mbappe, who will find any weaknesses possible to exploit opposing defenses throughout the tournament. The French’s chances of reaching the final for the third straight time all depend on the Real Madrid star striker himself.
World Cup Expert Picks: A Potential Longshot
Alex: I really liked Japan to go deep in the tournament, but Kaoru Mitoma’s injury has seen my faith in them dwindle. Senegal could be of interest, they produced a stunning display against England at the City Ground last summer, and if they can recapture that level and France aren’t at 100%, then the African nation could top Group I.
Achieving that feat would open up the bracket, and a potential route to the semi-finals becomes attainable. Ecuador will also surprise a few fans.
Nikola: This team is very good. Sure, their qualifiers weren’t that demanding, but overall, Norway plays open and aggressive football. Haaland and Odegaard are in the middle of the attention, yet there are plenty more good players – Sorloth, Bobb, Ryerson, etc, all of the standard and indispensable in their respective clubs.
Also, if they end second in Group I, their potential rivals in the first knockout round are Ecuador or the Ivory Coast. After that, anything is possible.
Richard: Japan has been successful at reaching the knockout stage in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, albeit exiting in the Round of 16 for both of those tournaments. They faced solid squads in Belgium and Croatia, who went on to finish at third place by pure coincidence.
The Japanese continue to shine as the top squad from Asia, dominating their continental foes by convincing margins as they present themselves to make noise once again in the 2026 tournament.
They will face a tough task against the Netherlands, but they do have great chances of victory against Sweden and Tunisia. This would allow them to get into the knockout rounds, granting them an opportunity to make the deep run they have long been waiting for. They are disciplined and technically sound in all areas, posing trouble for teams who might have lapses of judgement during the match’s most critical moments.
World Cup Expert Picks: Biggest Disappointment?
Alex: World Cup winners have a poor record when defending their title, and the mood around the Argentina camp is likely to be low given the news that Lionel Messi picked up an injury for Inter Miami. They should still top Group J, but their defense could end at the hands of Messi’s former foe, Cristiano Ronaldo, in the quarterfinals.
Nikola: England. From what I saw during the recent friendlies, this team won’t go too far at this World Cup. Tuchel won the UCL with Chelsea and ultra-defensive tactics, but that happened once. It seems the German is again applying the same tactics with the English national team. Even though Three Lions have plenty of offensive potential, that’s going to stay inhibited under Tuchel’s rigid tactics.
This generation missed a good chance to win the 2021 or 2024 Euros when they had a much better, more creative midfield. Now, under Tuchel, and on the other continent, England could turn out to be a big bust and end their participation in the quarterfinals.
Richard: England has a knack for boasting high expectations yet exiting from the World Cup in the most disappointing ways possible. Aside from their fourth-place finish in 2018, they have yet to lift a major trophy since 1966, as they lost to Spain in the 2024 UEFA Euro final in Germany.
Harry Kane remains strong as one of the best strikers in the world as his goalscoring talent will keep the team in games, but their quality varies throughout other positions. The players outside of the starting 11 will be wild cards, as they have a lot to prove, with many of them making their World Cup debut.
While the English should come out of their group despite having a difficult opening match against 2022’s third-place finalists Croatia, their pathway to a deep tournament may prove to be more difficult than they would hope.
