The inaugural World Cup featuring 48 teams is set to take place next summer, with the group stage matchups now confirmed. FIFA legends, dignitaries, and celebrities convened at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Friday to organize the draw from four pots, making it clear which teams will compete in the tournament across the USA, Canada, and Mexico. While 42 teams are now grouped, the final six will be determined in March.
Spain, Argentina, Brazil, and Germany are among the top contenders to advance beyond the group stage due to their recent successes and strong lineups. Spain is the reigning European champion, and Argentina is eyeing consecutive titles. Germany, although struggling in the last two World Cups, retains a history of strong performances with four titles to their name. Brazil remains the country with the most championships, boasting five titles.
Portugal and France also have promising odds of reaching the finals. France aims to build on their back-to-back finals appearances, including a win in 2018, while Portugal recently clinched the UEFA Nations League title.
The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) finds itself in a favorable group with odds of -575 to advance, sharing this position with Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of Playoff C (Turkiye, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo). The team’s prior friendly matches had them defeating both opponents in their group with a score of 4-1, avoiding tougher competition from other pots, such as Morocco and Japan.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino emphasized the need for optimism while respecting all opponents. The USMNT aims to recover from a disappointing performance in the 2024 Copa America, where they failed to advance as the host nation—a first since 1975. In the 2025 Gold Cup, despite missing key players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, the team reached the final but lost to Mexico.
Let’s take a detailed look at the latest odds for teams to progress to the knockout rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, based on DraftKings Sportsbook as of December 5.
Odds of Advancing to the Knockout Stage
Spain: -10000 (bet $10 to win $10.10 total)
Argentina: -10000
Brazil: -10000
Germany: -10000
England: -10000
Portugal: -5000
France: -2500
Belgium: -2000
Netherlands: -1400
Morocco: -1000
Colombia: -1000
Switzerland: -900
Ecuador: -900
Uruguay: -800
Mexico: -750
USA: -575
Norway: -575
Croatia: -475
Austria: -340
Iran: -340
South Korea: -340
Canada: -310
Egypt: -310
Ivory Coast: -310
Japan: -280
Senegal: -250
Algeria: -250
Scotland: -230
Paraguay: -230
Ghana: -155
Australia: -140
Tunisia: -135
Democratic Republic of the Congo: -125
Denmark: +100
Saudi Arabia: +120
Turkiye: +125
South Africa: +160
New Zealand: +175
Slovakia: +215
Panama: +220
Cape Verde: +225
Qatar: +240
Uzbekistan: +240
Jordan: +275
Jamaica: +300
Iraq: +350
Czech Republic: +450
Bolivia: +450
Haiti: +550
Curacao: +700
Romania: +900
Kosovo: +900
Republic of Ireland: +1000
Suriname: +1400
North Macedonia: +2000
New Caledonia: +3500
Winning Odds by Group
Group A:
Mexico: +110
South Korea: +350
Denmark: +450
South Africa: +1200
Czech Republic: +1200
Republic of Ireland: +3500
North Macedonia: +10000
Group B:
Switzerland: +140
Italy: +230
Canada: +450
Wales: +1800
Bosnia and Herzegovina: +1800
Qatar: +2500
Northern Ireland: +10000
Group C:
Brazil: -475
Morocco: +450
Scotland: +900
Haiti: +10000
Group D:
USA: +150
Paraguay: +330
Turkiye: +500
Australia: +500
Slovakia: +750
Romania: +2000
Kosovo: +2000
Group E:
Germany: -200
Ecuador: +250
Ivory Coast: +800
Curacao: +6500
Group F:
Netherlands: -135
Japan: +275
Tunisia: +800
Sweden: +850
Ukraine: +900
Poland: +1000
Albania: +2000
Group G:
Belgium: -255
Egypt: +450
Iran: +600
New Zealand: +2000
Group H:
Spain: -500
Uruguay: +400
Saudi Arabia: +1600
Cape Verde: +4000
Group I:
France: -200
Norway: +260
Senegal: +550
Iraq: +3500
Bolivia: +4000
Suriname: +10000
Group J:
Argentina: -340
Austria: +450
Algeria: +650
Jordan: +4000
Group K:
Portugal: -185
Colombia: +225
Democratic Republic of the Congo: +700
Uzbekistan: +3000
Jamaica: +4000
New Caledonia: +10000
Group L:
England: -340
Croatia: +400
Ghana: +1000
Panama: +2500
This news is significant for soccer fans as the expanded tournament promises to showcase a broader array of talent and potential underdog stories. As teams gear up for their World Cup journey, the stage is set for thrilling matches that could shape the future of soccer on a global scale.
