The 2026 World Cup is here — 48 teams, three host nations, and the deepest field in the tournament's history. Spain enter as the slight +450 favorites to lift the trophy, with France (+470), England (+650) and Brazil (+850) all firmly in the conversation. The Americans, hosting on home soil, are +6000 longshots. Believe in a home-field miracle, or don't — but you should at least know the landscape before putting money down.
The Teams That Matter Most
Spain are the form side. Winners of Euro 2024, runners-up in the 2025 UEFA Nations League, and ranked No. 1 in the world — Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Pedri give them the kind of generational midfield that breaks tournaments. The +450 price is short, but it's earned.
France are barely a tick behind at +470 and arguably the scariest side in the draw. Kylian Mbappé scored 25 league goals for Real Madrid this season and is in the kind of form that won him the 2022 Golden Boot. They've been to the last two finals. If they're value anywhere, it's in the head-to-head markets against the group stage cannon fodder they'll face in Group I.
Argentina are defending champions at +700 (listed as -310 group favorites) with Lionel Messi making what is almost certainly his last World Cup run. The squad around him — Lautaro Martínez, Enzo Fernández, Mac Allister — is deeper than 2022. Don't write them off just because they're not the headline favorites.
Brazil (+850) remain a puzzle. Five World Cup titles, but eliminated in the quarterfinals four of the last five tournaments. Vinícius Júnior leads the attack after another strong La Liga campaign (16 goals, 5 assists), and Group C — with Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti — is the softest path to the knockouts of any top-tier side.
Germany (-310 group favorites) are a cautionary tale. Four-time world champions who've been dumped in the group stage in back-to-back tournaments. Their quarterfinal run at Euro 2024 suggested a rebuild is genuinely underway, but at -310 to top Group E, you're paying for a name as much as a team.
USA: Christian Pulisic and a Brutal Draw
The Americans open against Paraguay on Friday at 9 p.m. ET in Los Angeles, listed as -110 money line favorites. Group D is the tightest draw in the tournament — Turkey (No. 13 in the world) leads the group odds at +175, with the USA at +140. Two teams from this group will advance automatically; a third could sneak through as a wild card.
Christian Pulisic (+300 to lead the USA in goals) arrives off eight goals and four assists for AC Milan in Serie A. Weston McKennie added five goals and seven assists from midfield at Juventus. These are legitimate contributors to top European clubs, not gap-year stints. Mauricio Pochettino's squad can compete — but this is not a group where the Americans can afford a slow start.
Their best World Cup finish remains the 2002 quarterfinals, where Germany ended the run. In six of the last World Cup cycles, the US either didn't qualify or went out in the group stage. Home soil changes the atmosphere. Whether it changes the outcomes is the actual bet.
Group-by-Group Odds at a Glance
- Group A: Mexico -110, Czech Republic +280, South Korea +300, South Africa +1200
- Group B: Switzerland -125, Canada +200, Bosnia & Herzegovina +425, Qatar +2800
- Group C: Brazil -370, Morocco +370, Scotland +1000, Haiti +10000
- Group D: Turkey +175, USA +140, Paraguay +400, Australia +750
- Group E: Germany -310, Ecuador +350, Ivory Coast +600, Curacao +13000
- Group F: Netherlands -130, Japan +260, Sweden +450, Tunisia +1100
- Group G: Belgium -230, Egypt +400, Iran +450, New Zealand +2500
- Group H: Spain -450, Uruguay +370, Saudi Arabia +1800, Cape Verde +4000
- Group I: France -230, Norway +275, Senegal +750, Iraq +5000
- Group J: Argentina -310, Austria +350, Algeria +750, Jordan +4000
- Group K: Portugal -230, Colombia +240, DR Congo +1100, Uzbekistan +3500
- Group L: England -320, Croatia +350, Ghana +1000, Panama +3000
A few group-stage prices worth noting: Norway at +275 in Group I is interesting given Erling Haaland's presence and France's inconsistent tournament record. Colombia at +240 to top Group K — ahead of Portugal — is legitimate value if James Rodríguez and Luis Díaz find form. Morocco at +370 to win Group C is not a shock pick; they reached the 2022 semifinals and the squad is largely intact.
The Format: How 48 Teams Actually Works
This is the first 48-team World Cup — up from 32 in Qatar. Twelve groups of four; the top two from each group advance automatically, and eight wild cards move through based on points and tiebreakers. That third-place safety net changes the calculus on group betting. A side doesn't necessarily need to top the group to survive it.
The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The full bracket runs from the round of 32 (starting June 28) through quarters, semis, a third-place match on July 18, and then the final.
Where to Bet — and What's on the Table
Online sportsbooks are legal in more than 30 US states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, bet365, Caesars, Fanatics, and Hard Rock Bet are all running sign-up offers ahead of the tournament. The headline deals:
- FanDuel: Bet $5 per day for 7 days, get $350 in bonus bets
- DraftKings: Bet $5, get $200 in bonus bets instantly
- BetMGM (code CBSSPORTS): Up to $1,500 back in bonus bets if your first bet loses
- bet365: Bet $10, get $365 in bonus bets win or lose
- Caesars (code CBSDYW): Bet $1, get 100% profit boosts on next 10 wagers
- Fanatics (code CBSFAN): 10x $100 bet matches in FanCash over 10 days
- Hard Rock Bet: Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets if it wins
Tournament winner markets will shift dramatically once the group stage plays out. If you want Spain, France, or Argentina at current prices, the window is now — not after they've each won their first two matches.
