FIFA World Cup 2026 Predictions, Groups & Fixtures
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest in tournament history — 48 teams, 12 groups, and 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Below you find the full group draw, the complete match schedule, and our AI-powered predictions for every fixture as they become available.
Our prediction model has been adjusted for international football: World Cup matches receive special handling that weighs bookmaker consensus and recent national-team form more heavily than our standard club-football model. Predictions for individual matches will appear on this page from match day onward, and on our daily tips homepage.
Bookmaker Favourites: Who Pays Out Most?
Below are the current outright winner odds from major bookmakers, sorted by implied probability. This reflects the market consensus — not our model. For our AI-powered prediction across all 104 matches, see the tournament forecast.
Bookmaker consensus on the favourites to lift the trophy on July 19, 2026. Odds shown in decimal format; implied probability calculated from odds (does not account for bookmaker margin).
The bookmakers' outright favourite at 17.4% and ranked #2 in the world. Our model rates them among the strongest in the field, but has them edged by France on penalties in the semi-final — they recover to win the third-place playoff against Argentina for the bronze.
| # | Team | Group | Odds | Implied | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |
France
|
I | 6.00 | 16.67% | |
| World #1 and second-favourite by the market at 16.7%. Our model is bolder than the bookmakers here: it has Les Bleus going all the way, surviving a penalty semi-final against Spain before beating England 1-0 in the final. The most complete knockout profile in our entire simulation. | |||||
| 3 |
England
|
L | 7.50 | 13.33% | |
| Third-favourite at 13.3% and FIFA #4. Our model is more bullish than the market: England reach the final, knocking out Brazil 1-0 in the quarter-finals and edging Argentina on penalties in the semis, before falling 1-0 to France in the title match. | |||||
| 4 |
Brazil
|
C | 9.00 | 11.11% | |
| Fourth in the betting at 11.1% and a perennial heavyweight. Our model has Brazil reaching the quarter-finals, where they lose 1-0 to England — a strong run that stops just short of the last four. | |||||
| 5 |
Argentina
|
J | 10.00 | 10.00% | |
| The reigning champions sit fifth at 10.0% and FIFA #3. Our model rewards that pedigree: Argentina reach the semi-finals before losing to England, then fall to Spain in the third-place playoff to finish fourth. | |||||
| 6 |
Portugal
|
K | 11.00 | 9.09% | |
| Sixth-favourite at 9.1% with a top-five FIFA ranking. The talent shows: our bracket carries Portugal to the quarter-finals, where their run ends on penalties against Argentina. | |||||
| 7 |
Germany
|
E | 15.00 | 6.67% | |
| 8 |
Netherlands
|
F | 21.00 | 4.76% | |
| 9 |
Norway
|
I | 31.00 | 3.23% | |
| 10 |
Belgium
|
G | 36.00 | 2.78% | |
| 11 |
Colombia
|
K | 41.00 | 2.44% | |
| 12 |
Uruguay
|
H | 51.00 | 1.96% | |
| 13 |
Morocco
|
C | 51.00 | 1.96% | |
| 14 |
Switzerland
|
B | 66.00 | 1.52% | |
| 15 |
Japan
|
F | 66.00 | 1.52% | |
| 16 |
Croatia
|
L | 81.00 | 1.23% | |
See the Full Tournament Forecast
Curious how the bracket plays out? Our AI simulates all 104 matches — group stage, knockout rounds, extra time and penalties included — to predict the entire tournament outcome, from Round of 32 to the final.
Golden Boot: Top Scorer Odds
Top-10 favourites to win the Golden Boot, based on bookmaker odds and implied probability. Market-based, not model-based.
Bookmaker consensus on the favourites to win the Golden Boot — awarded to the player who scores the most goals during the tournament. Reasoning includes group difficulty, penalty-taking duties, and squad role.
Won the 2022 Golden Boot with 8 goals, including a hat-trick in the final. France's first-choice striker and primary penalty taker, with a favourable Group I path (Iraq and Senegal offer goal opportunities) and the squad to make a deep run. Speed, finishing and tournament pedigree all align.
| # | Player | Team | Odds | Implied | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Harry Kane Forward |
England
|
8.00 | 12.50% | |
| 2018 Golden Boot winner with 6 goals and England's all-time leading scorer. Primary penalty taker and the focal point of Tuchel's attack. Group L (Croatia, Ghana, Panama) is winnable, and England are genuine contenders to reach the latter stages. The risk: Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer increasingly share creative load. | |||||
| 3 | Lionel Messi Forward |
Argentina
|
13.00 | 7.69% | |
| Almost certainly his final World Cup, but still capable of decisive moments. Argentina's Group J (Algeria, Austria, Jordan) is a soft landing that should yield goals. The volume question remains — Messi at 38 will likely manage minutes — but quality on the biggest stage has never been an issue. | |||||
| 4 | Erling Haaland Forward |
Norway
|
15.00 | 6.67% | |
| Norway's all-time leading scorer with 55 goals in 48 caps, averaging better than a goal per game internationally. The catch: Group I with France and Senegal makes deep progression uncertain. If Norway escape the group, Haaland's club-level scoring rate makes him capable of erupting against any opposition. | |||||
| 5 | Lamine Yamal Winger |
Spain
|
19.00 | 5.26% | |
| Spain's 18-year-old phenom, Ballon d'Or runner-up and central to Spain's attacking machine. Group H with Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia offers high-scoring potential. Not Spain's primary penalty taker — slight handicap for volume — but pace, creativity and unbroken upward trajectory make him the value pick of the market. | |||||
| 6 | Mikel Oyarzabal Forward |
Spain
|
19.00 | 5.26% | |
| Scored the Euro 2024 final winner and Spain's most reliable centre-forward when Álvaro Morata isn't selected. Same favourable Group H draw as Yamal. Penalty duties give him a volume advantage some of the other contenders lack. Spain's deep run will lift any of their attackers into Golden Boot contention. | |||||
| 7 | Cristiano Ronaldo Forward |
Portugal
|
21.00 | 4.76% | |
| 8 | Vinícius Júnior Forward |
Brazil
|
23.00 | 4.35% | |
| 9 | Lautaro Martínez Forward |
Argentina
|
26.00 | 3.85% | |
| 10 | Ousmane Dembélé Winger |
France
|
29.00 | 3.45% | |
The 12 Groups
Top 2 teams from each group, plus the 8 best third-placed teams, advance to the knockout stage (Round of 32).
Group A
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Mexico
|
| 2 |
South Africa
|
| 3 |
South Korea
|
| 4 |
Czech Republic
|
Group B
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Canada
|
| 2 |
Bosnia & Herzegovina
|
| 3 |
Qatar
|
| 4 |
Switzerland
|
Group C
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Brazil
|
| 2 |
Morocco
|
| 3 |
Haiti
|
| 4 |
Scotland
|
Group D
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
USA
|
| 2 |
Paraguay
|
| 3 |
Australia
|
| 4 |
Türkiye
|
Group E
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Germany
|
| 2 |
Curaçao
|
| 3 |
Ivory Coast
|
| 4 |
Ecuador
|
Group F
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Netherlands
|
| 2 |
Japan
|
| 3 |
Sweden
|
| 4 |
Tunisia
|
Group G
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Belgium
|
| 2 |
Egypt
|
| 3 |
Iran
|
| 4 |
New Zealand
|
Group H
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Spain
|
| 2 |
Cape Verde Islands
|
| 3 |
Saudi Arabia
|
| 4 |
Uruguay
|
Group I
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
France
|
| 2 |
Senegal
|
| 3 |
Iraq
|
| 4 |
Norway
|
Group J
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Argentina
|
| 2 |
Algeria
|
| 3 |
Austria
|
| 4 |
Jordan
|
Group K
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Portugal
|
| 2 |
Congo DR
|
| 3 |
Uzbekistan
|
| 4 |
Colombia
|
Group L
| # | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 |
England
|
| 2 |
Croatia
|
| 3 |
Ghana
|
| 4 |
Panama
|
● Top-2 advance directly ● 3rd-place playoff contender
Match Schedule
All 72 group-stage fixtures are listed below. Knockout fixtures will appear here once they are confirmed after the group stage. Filter by group to focus on your favourite team.
Thursday 11 June 2026
Mexico
Friday 12 June 2026
South Korea
Canada
Saturday 13 June 2026
USA
Qatar
Brazil
Sunday 14 June 2026
Haiti
Australia
Germany
Netherlands
Ivory Coast
Monday 15 June 2026
Sweden
Spain
Belgium
Saudi Arabia
Tuesday 16 June 2026
Iran
France
Iraq
Wednesday 17 June 2026
Argentina
Austria
Portugal
England
Ghana
Thursday 18 June 2026
Uzbekistan
Czech Republic
Switzerland
Canada
Friday 19 June 2026
Mexico
USA
Scotland
Saturday 20 June 2026
Brazil
Türkiye
Netherlands
Germany
Sunday 21 June 2026
Ecuador
Tunisia
Spain
Belgium
Uruguay
Monday 22 June 2026
New Zealand
Argentina
France
Tuesday 23 June 2026
Norway
Jordan
Portugal
England
Panama
Wednesday 24 June 2026
Colombia
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Switzerland
Morocco
Scotland
Thursday 25 June 2026
South Africa
Czech Republic
Curaçao
Ecuador
Japan
Tunisia
Friday 26 June 2026
Türkiye
Paraguay
Senegal
Norway
Saturday 27 June 2026
Cape Verde Islands
Uruguay
Egypt
New Zealand
Panama
Croatia
Colombia
Congo DR
Sunday 28 June 2026
Algeria
Jordan