This article contains outdated information. As the World Cup 2026 get closer, we will update the article with more information. 

Fifa World Cup 2026

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, also known as FIFA World Cup 26, is gearing up to be a historic event in the world of international men’s football. Set to take place from an unspecified date in June to July 19, 2026, this 23rd edition of the quadrennial championship will be hosted by 16 cities across three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Marking the first time the tournament will be hosted by three nations, this World Cup will witness several exciting new changes and milestones. The defending champions, Argentina, will face an expanded field of 48 teams, up from the usual 32. The United 2026 bid’s triumph over Morocco’s bid at the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow ensures the return of the World Cup to more than one nation for the first time since 2002.

Mexico will be creating history as the first country to host or co-host the men’s World Cup three times, having previously hosted the tournament in 1970 and 1986. Meanwhile, the United States will welcome the event for the first time since 1994. Canada is set to make its debut as a host, marking a significant milestone in its soccer history.

This World Cup also signifies a return to the traditional northern summer schedule, following the 2022 edition in Qatar held in November and December. With so many unique elements, FIFA World Cup 26 promises to be an unforgettable spectacle.

Best World Cup Betting Sites

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FIFA World Cup 2022

The FIFA World Cup tournament is the biggest international football competition held every four years, typically in the summer, but this time in the winter months. The tournament is the highlight for football bettors, and the best football betting sites already have odds available.

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The 22nd FIFA World Cup will take place in 2022, beginning on November 21 and ending on December 18.

Despite the controversy, Qatar was awarded the hosting rights for this event and will hold matches at eight sites spread across five cities. Qatar qualified automatically as the hosting nation and will compete in Group A of the Group Stage matches.

FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) is the governing body of international football, or soccer as it is known in many countries. In 1930, the inaugural World Cup event was held. The tournament comprises 32 teams that qualified through a rigorous qualification process to compete.

The Football World Cup Format

The World Cup action begins with Group Stage matches. Individual countries competing in this event are assigned to one of eight categories ranging from A to H. Matches in this stage of the competition can end in a draw, which counts toward each country’s overall record.

The Knockout Round is the next stage of the play. The top 16 countries from group play advance to the next round. At this round, the matches are single elimination, with the winner advancing to the next round.

The first eight matches are played in the Knockout Round. The winners progress to the World Cup Quarterfinals (top 8), Semifinals (top 4) and Final (top 2). In the final round, there is also a third-place match between the two losing countries in the semifinals.

Best World Cup Betting Sites

The best World Cup betting sites will have betting markets available for each level of the competition. International gambling sites are well prepared for the soccer World Cup, and you can find options to wager on the entire World Cup. World Cup futures are available for each country’s chances of progressing through each group to the Knockout Round. There are additional odds for making it to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and World Cup Final.

Every country has a complete list of odds to win the 2022 World Cup, which you can find further down.

Each World Cup match can also be wagered on live. Nothing is more thrilling than betting on a live sporting event once it has begun. As the game progresses, the betting odds are regularly updated.

Why bet on the FIFA WC 2022?

The World Cup is a one-of-a-kind sporting event. Football, or soccer, is the only sport that is played in every country on the planet. Every four years, the sport’s “best of the best” put it all on the line for a chance at ultimate triumph.

Betting on the Football World Cup is also a bit different from other types of betting. The Football WC is highly unpredictable, and we have seen time and time again that big favourites struggle against weaker teams.

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As the competition progresses, the enthusiasm grows. A single goal achieved at precisely the right time can make all the difference in the world.

Another distinctive feature of the World Cup is the actual contests, which begin with Group play. Countries that have never played each other in international league competitions are frequently partnered together, making it even more challenging to predict the result.

World Cup Odds

  • Brazil: 6.00
  • France: 7.00
  • England: 7.50
  • Argentina: 8.50
  • Spain: 9.00
  • Germany: 10.00
  • Belgium: 15.00
  • Netherlands: 15.00
  • Portugal: 15.00
  • Denmark: 34.00
  • Croatia: 51.00
  • Uruguay: 51.00
  • Senegal: 81.00
  • Switzerland: 101.00
  • Ecuador: 151.00
  • Mexico: 151.00
  • Poland: 151.00
  • Serbia: 151.00
  • USA: 151.00
  • Wales: 151.00
  • Cameroon: 201.00
  • Australia: 251.00
  • Canada: 251.00
  • Ghana: 251.00
  • Japan: 251.00
  • Morocco: 251.00
  • South Korea: 251.00
  • Qatar: 351.00
  • Tunisia: 351.00
  • Costa Rica: 751.00
  • Iran: 751.00
  • Saudi Arabia: 751.00

(From Betway)

We recommend you compare the odds found at different EU casinos that accept UK players to find the best value for your bet. This overview is gathered from Betway, so keep in mind that the odds might differ on an other betting site. Currently, Qatar has 351.00 odds to win in its home country with Betway. Brazil is actually the betting favourite, with chances of 6.00 to win. France, the incumbent champion, is right behind Brazil.

The French have 7.00 odds to win, which could be related to their performance in the 2020 UEFA Euros. France struggled from the start, drawing Hungary into the Group Stage. Although the defending World Cup champions were ousted in the Knockout Stage, Brazil did lose its Copa America Final versus Argentina. Regardless, the two favourites for the 2022 World Cup were defeated in their respective regional tournaments.

Despite a nail-biting shootout loss to Italy in the UEFA Euro Final 2020, England is favoured at 7.50. The favourites are dominated by European nations, with Brazil and Argentina 8.50 the only non-European nation with odds to win in the Top 11. Uruguay is ranked 12th with odds of 51.00. The next top non-European nations are Senegal at 81.00 and the United States at 151.00.

World Cup Preview: Our Guide to Qatar 22

Qatar will be hosting the first and possibly only ever winter World Cup. Now all 32 teams have been finalised, we can preview the competition, with fans barely able to contain their excitement. Here, we give our thoughts on the tournament, predictions on who might win, which teams might surprise you, and more. Let’s start by looking at a few teams set to make their mark on the competition.

All World Cup Groups

world cup groups

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The England Team (Group B)

England is entering the World Cup in great form. They’ve yet to be beaten after 18 months of football, excluding the painful defeat to Italy in the final of Euro 2020. They also have some younger players with promise, along with a goal machine in Harry Kane to set the ball in the back of the opponent’s net as much as possible. Previous England sides have had to bear huge expectations, but fortunately for Gareth Southgate’s side, those expectations appear to elude them this time around. Despite their recent improved performances in major competitions, however, they haven’t tasted victory since the 1966 World Cup.

One player who could cause a stir is Manchester City’s own Raheem Sterling, who will turn 28 during the World Cup. This is his 10th year playing for England after he made his England debut against Sweden when he joined fellow debutant, Leon Osman.

Group B shouldn’t present England with too many obstacles, with Wales, the United States, and Iran standing in their way. The toughest opposition they’d be set to face in the round of 16 would be the Netherlands. Should they advance to the quarterfinals, they’d likely go head-to-head with either France or Argentina. That’s if they top their group and don’t qualify as group runners-up, that is. While a potential final against Brazil would favour the South Americans in the Qatar climate, it would be England’s greatest World Cup finish since 1966.

🇯🇵 The Japan Team (Group E)

Given that Japan has performed poorly in their previous six performances in the competition, they’ll be hoping for a change in fortune at the 2022 World Cup. To be fair, they were a mere 20 minutes away from reaching the quarterfinals in Russia when Belgium climbed their way back from two goals down, ending any hope that Japan may have had of reaching the final eight. Despite that flirtation with a quarterfinal place, they’ll be underdogs in Group E for this one.

One thing that Japan has going for them is their influential players. Names to watch out for include Takumi Minamino, who plies his trade in the Premier League for Liverpool. Then there’s Takehiro Tomiyas, who’s playing his debut season for Arsenal. Celtic has had a reputation for Japanese players of late and looking to make an impression on the world stage, including Reo Hatate, Yosuke Ideguchi, and Daizen Maed. Kyogo Furuhashi has already established himself in Glasgow and will also be looking to make his mark in Qatar 2022.

While Japan has never advanced beyond the round of 16 in the World Cup, this will be the seven straight appearances for the country. They also impressed leading up to the tournament, automatically qualifying in the AFC region, after seeing off the challenge from Australia, who they defeated 2-0 after two goals from substitute Kaoru Mitoma. Of course, the World Cup will present a far tougher challenge.

🇪🇸 The Spanish Team (Group E)

Spain enjoyed being the world’s best team from 2008 to 2012. They may not have been the force they once were in more recent years, but that could be about to change. When they won the World Cup and two European Championships, LaLiga was the king of European football. Spain was only beaten by Italy on penalties after a match they should have won based on their performance in regular time.

Spain also suffered defeat in the final of the National League – this time to France – which may prove they’ve developed an inability to finish the job the way they were able to not all that long ago. Barcelona has had to do without Lionel Messi, but then a young player by the name of Pedri has helped them take their minds off losing one of the greatest players of his generation. Spanish football will be hoping Pedri can do the same for the national team.

Possible Winners

Brazil is among the biggest favourites to lift the World Cup trophy once again, despite their loss to Argentina in the Copa America final last year. Having been drawn into a relatively easy group with Cameroon, Switzerland, and Serbia in Group G, Brazil is expected to breeze through to the knockout stage of the competition.

If Lionel Messi is on form, Argentina will feel like they can beat anybody on their day. And while Poland and Mexico should put them to the test in Group C, it’s one they should pass with relative ease.

France is also among the favourites as they bid to become only the third team to win the World Cup in consecutive tournaments after Italy and Brazil achieved the feat in 1938 and 1962, respectively. France has been drawn with Australia, Tunisia, and Denmark in Group D.

Possible Losers

The dreaded group of death is always the one to watch for any teams with the potential to disappoint at the tournament. At Qatar 2022, that group is Group E, which includes two heavyweights of the international game in Spain and Germany. Both teams disappointed during the last WC in Russia and won’t welcome the group they’re in. After winning the World Cup in 2014, Germany made its exit from the group stage in 2018, with Spain soon following them after losing in the round of 16.

Both teams have impressed since then. Spain has introduced many talented younger players, like Ferrari Torres, Gave, and Pedro, and impressed in Euro 2020, where they lost a penalty shoot-out to the champions Italy in the semi-finals. They also went on to play in the National League final when they lost to France.

However, Spain will want to top the group to get an easier path in the competition’s knockout stage. That task will be made a bit more difficult with Germany being in the same group. Germany has been rejuvenated under new manager Hansi Flick after he took over from Joachim Löw. Germany has yet to lose under Flick, who’s previously won a sextuple with Bayern Munich in 2020.

There’s plenty of talent in Flick’s team, with a nice blend of youngsters and veterans. Players such as Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer played key roles in their World Cup victory in 2014 and will be looking to win another trophy with the help of younger players like Timo Werner and Kai Havertz.

Possible Top Scorers

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s England’s Harry Kane who’s favourited to win the golden boot after winning the very same award in Russia 2018. The striker might just be the world’s best right now and is in his prime at still just 29 years of age. The Tottenham Hotspurs player has netted 50 goals for England in 73 appearances and is likely to become England’s highest-ever goal scorer, with only three goals short of Wayne Rooney’s 53.

While Kane scored six times in the last World Cup, when England made it to the semi-finals, he’ll face stiffer competition in the form of Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappé, along with plenty of others. Mbappé is also among the favourites to win the golden boot and will be a mere 23 years old at the World Cup. And fellow France player Benzema showed the world his knack for goalscoring with 42 goals last season as his Real Madrid team won both La Liga and the Champions League.

Old favourites Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are also in the running. Ronaldo has scored more goals in the international game than any other player in history, with 117 goals in 189 matches, and this will likely be his last chance at winning either the Golden Boot or World Cup. The same applies to his rival Messi as he edges closer to retiring from the game. Brazil’s Neymar and Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku are two other names to watch out for.

These Teams Might Surprise You

There are some great candidates to lift the trophy at the end of the World Cup, but there are also several teams that could yet surprise. Let’s look at a few of them here.

🇩🇰 Denmark

Denmark might be a small European team, but it’s also an underrated team with potential. So, what are the reasons for this exactly? Well, they do have one of the greatest generations of players they’ve ever been able to put on a field. We’re talking here about such talents who play for huge European teams, like Kasper Schmeichel, Daniel Wass, and Thomas Delaney. They do face the difficult task of being in the same group as France, but if they progress past the group stage, they have the talent to prove their worth in the knockout rounds.

🇺🇸 United States

The United States could also put up a fight at the competition. One point in their favour is that MLS has reached a higher level in recent years, especially when it comes to local talent. That can only complement the high-level talent that plies its trade in Europe, such as Zack Steffen, Yunus Musah, and Christian Pulisic. They’ll face a stern test against England in Group B, although Wales and Iran won’t present such a big challenge. They’ll certainly be looking to make their way to the knockout games.

🇸🇳 Senegal

In a surprise move due to programming changes, the African team will open the tournament in a match against the Netherlands. Many might think that Senegal won’t be a threat in the World Cup, but the team might just surprise a few people. In fact, they have several players who could be considered elite. That includes Premier League players Sadio Mané from Liverpool and Édouard Mendy from Chelsea. It’s been some time since an African country as strong as this one has played in the World Cup. Whether they can live up to their level of talent remains to be seen.

🇪🇨 Ecuador

Now let’s look at a South American team. After impressing in the qualifiers, Ecuador made it to Qatar 2022. Since Gustavo Alfaro arrived, Ecuador has really gotten its act together. They’ll need to show that and more in the World Cup, however. Fortunately, they have several players capable of putting in a good performance for the team, such as Pervis Estupiñán, Piero Hincapié, and Ángelo Preciado. They’ll be up against the Netherlands, Senegal, and hosts Qatar in the group stage, which will make qualifying difficult. If they do qualify, however, things could get very interesting indeed.

Conclusion

While FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been talking up the tournament, when it comes to the fans, they only care what takes place on the pitch. And they’ll surely want to take away memories from a tournament they’ll hope to remember for years to come. We saw Pele introduce himself to the world in 1958, Maradona’s hand of god’ Argentina victory in 1986, and Senegal beat a seemingly unbeatable team in defending champions France in 2002. What Qatar 2022 has in store for the fans remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure – they can’t wait to find out.

World Cup Betting Tips

Looking at the past World Cup results and statistics might be a good idea. Of course, it doesn’t guarantee anything for the future but might give you some key insight into the teams most likely to win.

  • The last four World Cup finals have all been won by European countries. During the last six World Cups, Brazil has been the only non-European country to win.
  • France (current champion) has won two of the last six held World Cups, making it the only country to do so in the period.
  • France was the last host country to win the World Cup in 1998.
  • European and South American countries have won every World Cup in history.
  • Just eight different countries have ever won the World Cup. Brasil has won 5, the last in 2002.

Football World Cup FAQs

When is the FIFA World Cup in 2022?

The 2022 World Cup will begin on November 21 and conclude on December 18.

Who will win the World Cup 2022?

It’s difficult to predict, but Brazil and France have been co-favourites for some months, with England and Spain close behind.

Which country has had the most World Cup success?

Brazil has five World Cup victories, followed by Italy and Germany, each with four. However, Italy is out of the equation as they did not qualify for the WC 2022 in Qatar.

author
Kate WebbEditor in Chief

With over ten years of experience working with gambling and writing about casinos, Kate brings a lot of knowledge to CasinoTop3.com. Kate oversees all the content written on CasinoTop3.com to ensure it contains factual information with value to you as a player.