2026 World Cup Odds: Who Will Take the Trophy?

World Cup 2026 Winner Odds

Our Top Pick: Argentina

When analyzing the current World Cup winner odds, there is little to choose between Spain and Argentina. The former has had a more serene route to the final, so its players are probably fresher. Spain is an expert at controlling the ball and it has conceded just one goal all tournament. But Argentina has a phenomenal spirit and never knows when it is beaten. Lionel Messi is past his best at 39 years old, but this World Cup has shown he remains one of the best players on the planet. In our view, Argentina will edge it.

Top World Cup 2026 Contender Breakdown:

• Spain (-144): Spain’s campaign got off to a disappointing start, as the European champion was held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde. It proceeded to beat Saudi Arabia and Uruguay to top the group, before defeating Austria (3-0), Portugal (1-0) and Belgium (2-1) in the first three knockout rounds. It saved its best performance for the semi-finals, when Luis de la Fuente’s side beat a much-fancied France outfit 2-0. Spain’s collective approach is its biggest strength, with Lamine Yamal a potential match-winner.

• Argentina (+126): Just like when it won the World Cup in 2022, Argentina has not done things the easy way this summer. It faced few problems in the group stage, beating each of Algeria, Austria and Jordan, but Lionel Scaloni’s team suffered some unexpected scares against Cape Verde (a 3-2 win after extra time) and Egypt (a 3-2 win from 2-0 down). Extra time was required to see off Switzerland, before Argentina came from behind to beat England 2-1 in the semis.

World Cup Prediction Markets

All of these World Cup predictions (and more) are also available on prediction markets.

Prediction markets are platforms where you buy and sell shares on the outcome of future events. Instead of betting against a traditional sportsbook, you trade directly against other users. The price of a share shows how likely the market thinks that event is to happen. Prices usually range from 1 cent to 99 cents. If your prediction is right, your share becomes worth 1 dollar. If your prediction is wrong, your share becomes worth 0 dollars.

Top US prediction markets include Kalshi, Polymarket, and Crypto.com. They have multiple options for the World Cup. This means you can trade on who will win the entire tournament, who will win individual matches, or which teams will advance out of the group stage. Additionally, these platforms offer unique predictions that you cannot find at regular sportsbooks, giving you the ability to trade on highly specific tournament scenarios or niche player milestones.

These platforms are available in most US states. They are a good alternative to get action on the games if sportsbooks are not legal in your state.

Here is what the World Cup winner predictions look like according to users trading on the Kalshi prediction market:

2026 World Soccer Cup Winner

2026

• 100%
• 1%
• 1%
• 1%
• 1%

Source: Kalshi. Data is automatically updated according to market conditions.

Who Were the World Cup 2022 Winners?

Argentina was the winner of the World Cup 2022. The Albiceleste lost their first match of the tournament, suffering a shock 2-1 defeat by Saudi Arabia. They proceeded to beat Mexico and Poland to finish top of their group, before eliminating Australia in the round of 16.

Argentina overcame the Netherlands on penalties in the quarter-finals and then beat Croatia 3-0 in the last four. A 2-2 draw after extra time in the final against France led to another shoot-out, which Lionel Scaloni’s side won 4-2.

France topped their group ahead of Australia, Tunisia, and Denmark. A 3-1 victory over Poland preceded a 2-1 defeat of England, before les Bleus booked their spot in the final with a 2-0 triumph over Morocco in the semis.

Which Teams Have Been Most Successful at the World Cup?

Who Will Host the 2026 World Cup?

In June 2018, the USA, Canada, and Mexico were named hosts of World Cup 2026. They received 134 votes, while the rival bid from Morocco got 65. There were three abstentions and one non-vote.

FIFA had previously banned co-hosts after the World Cup 2002, which took place in Japan and South Korea. However, the expansion of the tournament to 48 teams necessitated a review of that policy.

Sixteen host cities have been chosen for World Cup 2026: two in Canada, three in Mexico, and eleven in the USA.

This is the fourth time the World Cup will be hosted in the region. Mexico staged the competition in 1970 and 1986, while the USA won the rights in 1994.

How Will the World Cup 2026 Work?

World Cup 2026 will be the first edition to feature 48 teams. Because of this, it also includes a special new World Cup 48-team bracket pairing. Those sides will be divided into 12 groups of four, and the top two in each section will advance to the knockout stage along with the eight third-place finishers with the best records.

A round of 32 will then follow, before the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, third-place play-off and final. The total number of games will rise from 64 to 104, and the finalists will end up playing one more match than they did in the 32-team tournaments from 1998 to 2022.

To seamlessly accommodate these additional knockout rounds, the World Cup schedule has been stretched across an extended 39-day window.

Will the USA Be in the 2026 World Cup?

The three co-hosts, the USA, Mexico and Canada, automatically qualified for World Cup 2026. The USMNT will be hoping to reach the knockout phase of the tournament for a second edition in a row, having reached the round of 16 in 2022. With matches spread across North America,

How to Watch World Cup 2026 on TV

• Dates: June 11, 2026 - July 19, 2026

• Location: USA, Mexico, and Canada

• How to Watch: Fox Sports, Telemundo