The 2026 World Cup is entering its final stretch.
Out of the original 48 teams, only eight remain in the hunt for soccer's most coveted trophy. To kick off the final stage, our expert staff put together their best picks and predictions for the World Cup Quarterfinals.
So, let's dive into our World Cup best bets and quarterfinal predictions.
World Cup Quarterfinals: Best Bets, Expert Picks
The team logos in the table below represent each of the World Cup matchups that our staff is targeting. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Date & Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | July 9 – 4:00 p.m. | |
  | July 10 – 3:00 p.m. | |
  | July 11 – 5:00 p.m. | |
  | July 11 – 9:00 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our World Cup odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Morocco vs France Best Bets
By Camil Straschnoy
The reigning World Cup runners-up have been flawless, winning all five of their matches in this tournament. They have proven they can dazzle when given room to breathe — as seen against Sweden and Norway’s reserves — but they are equally adept at grinding out ugly wins when the script gets muddy, like their gritty affair against Paraguay.
Expect a hard-fought battle against Morocco. Their most recent encounter, the 2022 World Cup semifinals, saw the Europeans secure a 2-0 victory, though they didn't find the second goal until just 10 minutes before the final whistle.
Pairing a French victory with another Kylian Mbappé goal injects excellent value into the odds. The superstar forward currently trails Lionel Messi by a single goal in the top scorer standings. Historically, whenever Mbappé finds himself chasing the lead, he responds to keep himself firmly in the Golden Boot hunt.
Pick: France Moneyline & Kylian Mbappe Anytime Goalscorer (SGP: +195, DraftKings)
By Carlos Avilan
France has been the strongest team in this World Cup, and their offense is rightfully feared. Morocco already knows them well, as this will be a rematch of the Qatar 2022 semifinal, and this French side is even more intimidating now with the additions of Michael Olise and Desire Doue, plus Ousmane Dembele's Ballon d'Or form.
Morocco is coming off 13 total corners against the Netherlands and 12 vs. Canada, while France's latest two matches had totals of 10 (Sweden) and 14 (Paraguay). Let's go with Over 10.5 corner kicks this time at a great value.
Pick: Over 10.5 Corners (+162, FanDuel)
Belgium vs Spain Best Bets
By Camil Straschnoy
Spain enters this clash as the heavy favorite, and for good reason. After a sluggish start in a draw against Cape Verde, La Roja rediscovered their rhythm to rattle off four consecutive wins, including high-stakes victories over Uruguay in the group stage and Portugal in the Round of 16.
Backing "Both Teams to Score – No" offers a smart pivot to maximize your payout. Spain has yet to concede a single goal in their five tournament matches. Goalkeeper Unai Simón has cemented his name in the history books, setting a new World Cup record for the longest consecutive scoreless streak at 609 minutes, carrying over from the 2022 tournament.
While Belgium is coming off a four-goal explosion against the USA and boasts undeniable offensive firepower, they are running into a buzzsaw: a Spanish side riding five straight clean sheets with the tournament's best defense.
Pick: Spain Moneyline & Both Team to Score — No (SGP: +180, DraftKings)
By Carlos Avilan
Every time Spain found a cautious or capable opponent, the match ended with a low score. Cape Verde drew 0-0, and Uruguay and Portugal held them to a 1-0 win.
Despite Belgium's latest offensive outburst against the USMNT, this is a team that has struggled in the tournament and will know that the best approach against Spain is to try to frustrate them and knock them down on the counter or on aggressive runs every now and then.
The key will be how early/late Spain opens their score.
Pick: Under 2.5 Goals in 90 Minutes (+100, DraftKings)
England vs Norway Best Bets
By Sofía Lucena
A month ago, some people probably thought I was crazy when I picked Norway to reach the World Cup quarterfinals, but here we are. I even made that bet in our World Cup Best Bets article before the tournament started. Now, with the quarterfinals just hours away, I’m staying on the Norway hill and taking it one step further. I’m backing the Norwegians to knock out England and reach the semifinals.
This team has been incredible throughout the tournament. They’ve won four of their five matches, with their only loss coming against France in the final group-stage game, when they rotated 10 of their 11 starting lineup. Even then, they still found the back of the net. In fact, Norway has scored in every single match at this World Cup.
The apparent lack of pressure around Erling Haaland is one of the strangest things about this team… and somehow, it works. It’s almost like they have nothing to lose, yet, of course, everything to gain by going even further in this tournament.
Don’t get me wrong, England is loaded with talent. They have stars all over the pitch, they’ve produced some unforgettable moments in this tournament and are dreaming of lifting the trophy for the first time in 60 years. Well, that dream might come to an end on Thursday.
Alongside Haaland, Martin Odegaard has been running the midfield and finding the perfect passes to get Norway going. Against Brazil, the Norwegians also proved they have a goalkeeper worth keeping an eye on. Add a team that plays with the confidence of knowing it has one of the best strikers in the world ready to finish any chance that comes his way, and suddenly, Norway doesn’t look like an underdog anymore.
Anything can happen in the World Cup! But if you’re asking me… Norway will happen.
Sorry, England. We might have to wait a little longer for another post-match rendition of “Wonderwall”.
Pick: Norway to Advance (+105, bet365)
By Camil Straschnoy
Harry Kane on one side, Erling Haaland on the other. The two talismanic strikers have combined for a staggering 13 goals so far in this World Cup. Frankly, do we even need to write any more context to justify these picks?
Norway has both scored and conceded in every single match they’ve played this tournament, with their fixtures averaging a wild four-plus goals per game. Meanwhile, England’s defense has been a bit leakier since the knockout rounds began, racking up five goals for and three against since moving past the group stage.
Picks: Both Teams to Score — Yes & Over 2.5 Goals (-115 — DraftKings)
Switzerland vs Argentina Best Bets
By Franco Diaz
The Round of 16 gave us one of the tournament's defining moments: the Miracle of Atlanta. Argentina's run — led by Lionel Messi — has become about more than just soccer. Even when they haven't been at their best, as we've seen in recent matches, this team has found a way to push beyond its limits and do whatever it takes to survive and advance.
Next up is Switzerland, which knocked out Colombia in a penalty shootout after the Colombians squandered several chances to take the lead. The Swiss are well organized defensively, and they even created a few dangerous opportunities of their own. Still, it's hard for me to picture anything other than another iconic celebration like the one after Egypt, when Argentina's players tossed Messi into the air after yet another unforgettable triumph.
However, for that to happen, Argentina's high press will be crucial, and with Julian Alvarez fully fit again and his place in the starting XI all but locked in, there's value to be found.
Let's back "La Araña" to score or record an assist against Switzerland.
Pick: Julian Alvarez to Score or Assist (+115, DraftKings)
By Fernando Romero
It feels like a strange position to take after Argentina went on back-to-back 3-2 epics (even if only one of those was on 90 minutes), but there are arguments to believe that the goal fest by Messi and company is about to hit a big wall. One made mainly of Swiss defenders.
Only twice have Switzerland matches gone over 2.5 goals, namely against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the group stage (a match that had four goals in the final 13 minutes) and against Canada. It's not by chance. The Swiss are one of the best-drilled defenses in the World Cup, playing a compact 4-3-3 more focused on exhausting the opponent than controlling the game. Murat Yakin's team are on an eight-game undefeated streak, and have conceded just thrice in five World Cup games.
Argentina's goalscoring proficiency is beyond question, and their defence has proven vulnerable, but they're bound to aim for a less heart-stopping performance against the Swiss, and their rivals will provide the perfect excuse for it.
Pick: Under 2.5 (-150, Bet365)
