The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here, and with 48 teams in the field, there are more betting markets than ever before.
Most bettors will focus on the outright winners, but there is also value to be found in group-stage forecasts, player props, team-specific markets and long-shot futures.
Action Network's World Cup betting experts, Sam Ingram and Daniele Fisichella, broke down their favorite futures bets, including team projections, top goalscorer markets and outright winners.
Here are their World Cup futures best bets.
Croatia to Win Group, England to Finish Second (+500)
By Sam Ingram
England are rightful favorites to win their group and should be at the top of the betting boards. However, they are priced too short in the market.
You can get Croatia first and England second at +500, which feels like a big price. If you're not completely sold on Croatia, you could also take a Croatia-England dual forecast, with either team finishing first or second.
Another option is pairing that with a Brazil-Morocco dual forecast, which is available at +140.
Lowest-Scoring Nation: New Zealand (15-1)
By Sam Ingram
New Zealand recently lost 4-0 to Haiti in a friendly, which was a shocking result. They entered the tournament as the lowest-ranked FIFA nation, and 15-1 feels like a big number in a group where they'll have to break down teams that are either much stronger than them, such as Belgium, or defensively stubborn sides like Egypt and Iran.
Their team total goals line opened at 4.5 and has since dropped to 2.5, showing the market expects them to score fewer than three goals in the tournament. At 15-1, it's worth taking a shot.
Brazil to Win Group, Morocco to Finish Second (+110)
By Daniele Fisichella
This is a bet on Morocco as much as it is on Brazil.
Brazil are still not the Brazil of old, but they remain an exciting team. Under Carlo Ancelotti, they should be able to balance attacking flair with more discipline.
Morocco are Africa's top-ranked nation and currently sit eighth in the FIFA rankings, just behind sixth-ranked Brazil. They are a team capable of frustrating opponents by sitting deep and defending well, but unlike four years ago, they now have more attacking weapons.
Players such as Brahim Diaz, Neil El Aynaoui and Achraf Hakimi give them quality throughout the squad.
Bukayo Saka to Score Two or More Goals (+100)
By Daniele Fisichella
England are one of the favorites to win the World Cup, which means Saka is expected to play deep into the tournament.
He's reached double figures for Arsenal in each of the past five seasons and already has significant tournament experience despite still being very young. He scored three goals at the last World Cup, one at Euro 2024, and has already scored twice under Thomas Tuchel.
Saka is expected to have the freedom to attack and isolate defenders one-on-one, much like he does for Arsenal. With England likely to be dangerous in transition, he should have opportunities throughout both the group stage and knockout rounds.
Belgium's Top Goalscorer: Jeremy Doku (+700)
By Sam Ingram
Romelu Lukaku is the favorite in this market, largely due to his reputation and Belgium's historical achievements.
However, Lukaku has dealt with injury concerns and fitness issues. Belgium manager Rudi Garcia recently said that while Lukaku has recovered from his hip injury, he is still out of shape and may not be ready to start matches immediately.
That opens the door for other players, and Jeremy Doku stands out after a strong finish to the season. He scored eight goals for Manchester City, with five coming in his final 10 appearances.
Against Egypt, New Zealand and Iran, teams likely to defend deep against Belgium, Doku should see plenty of opportunities cutting inside onto his stronger foot and getting shots away.
France to Win World Cup (+500)
By Daniele Fisichella
Before major tournaments, futures markets often price hype rather than reality.
France are the bookmakers' second favorites at around +500, implying a 16.7% chance of winning. BETSiE's statistical model rates them even higher, assigning an 18.7% probability, creating a positive edge.
France remain the No. 1-ranked team in the FIFA rankings and have elite depth throughout the squad. Their attacking options include Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Thuram, allowing them to rotate without sacrificing quality.
They also benefit from the experience of Didier Deschamps, who has managed the team since 2014 and guided them to three major finals, winning one of them.
This team also has a strong back line with excellent centerbacks in William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano, a solid goalkeeper, and a good midfield featuring Aurelien Tchouameni and N'Golo Kante.
The statistical model projects France as one of the strongest teams in the tournament and offers one of the best outright values among the favorites.
Egypt to Reach Knockout Stage
By Daniele Fisichella
Every World Cup produces surprises, particularly tournaments held outside Europe, and this is going to be no different. Many people point to Japan as a potential dark horse, others to Norway due to their great qualifying run.
But I'm going to go a little bit deeper and point out some African nations — not the usual Senegal and Morocco — and going with Egypt.
Egypt are a disciplined and well-organized side with a good qualifying record. While they have never won a World Cup match, this tournament represents what could be Mohamed Salah's final major international competition.
Placed in a group with Belgium, Iran and New Zealand, Egypt have a realistic opportunity to finish second. Their defensive structure should keep games close, and they are unlikely to concede many goals.
Most Assists: Julian Ryerson (50-1)
By Sam Ingram
Rather than targeting long shots in the outright market, there can be value in player props.
Julian Ryerson recorded 15 Bundesliga assists for Borussia Dortmund during the 2025/26 season and enters the World Cup with elite finishers ahead of him in Erling Haaland and Alexander Sorloth. He also produced four assists in eight World Cup qualifiers for Norway.
Czechia's Top Goalscorer: Patrik Schick (+200)
By Daniele Fisichella
Czechia are projected to score only four goals during the group stage and have a 42% chance of being eliminated in the Round of 32, according to BETSiE.
That makes their top goalscorer market particularly appealing, as a small number of goals can decide the bet.
Schick is the focal point of the attack and thrives on set pieces. Nearly half of Czechia's qualifying goals came from dead-ball situations, and Schick ranks among the Bundesliga's top aerial threats.
Since 2023, he has scored 37 Bundesliga goals from 29.8 expected goals, outperforming his xG by more than seven goals. He scored 22 league goals this season and 27 overall.
Bosnia's Top Goalscorer: Ermedin Demirovic (+550)
By Sam Ingram
This pick follows a similar logic to the Lukaku Doku selection.
Edin Dzeko remains the favorite in the market, but at 40 years old there are concerns about his fitness and ability to handle the demands of a compressed tournament schedule.
Bosnia also faced the most travel of any nation during the group stage, covering more than 3,100 miles, compared to teams like France and Norway, who travel roughly 374 miles.
Meanwhile, fellow forward Haris Tabakovic is dealing with an injury that could keep him out of the opening matches.
Ermedin Demirovic, who plays for Stuttgart, scored 12 Bundesliga goals despite making only 17 starts after missing time through injury earlier in the season. His relative freshness and expected playing time give him a strong opportunity to emerge as Bosnia's leading scorer.
Team to Stay Away From
By Sam Ingram
If I were to pick out a team to avoid, I would probably stay away from Argentina at +800.
You could go through their squad — Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez — and it is a decent squad, but winning back-to-back World Cups is very difficult. Last time out in Qatar, it was built up as Messi's best chance to win the World Cup, and they did it. I feel that narrative behind Messi probably got them over the line in certain games.
Will they have that this time? Probably not, and Lionel Messi is four years older.
Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister have not had the best of seasons at the club level, and they're going to be key for Argentina if we are to see success from this squad. Messi and Leandro Paredes are both playing outside of Europe.
Nicolas Otamendi played in 17 of 18 World Cup qualifiers. He's 38 years old and will probably be partnered by Cristian Romero, who, for me, is a bit of a ticking time bomb. You really can't trust him back there in central defense. He's a walking red card.
Nicolas Tagliafico, at 33 years old, is past his peak. He also played in 15 qualifiers.
So for Argentina, it has a great squad and some brilliant players, but going back-to-back is probably one step too far. They're clearly packed with great individual talent, but also players who are maybe getting over the hill in terms of their peak and age.
