World Cup 2026 is just a few months away and excitement is starting to build across the globe.The tournament is not just the pinnacle of football; it sits at the very top of the list of the biggest sporting events on the planet. The upcoming edition will be an historic one: the first to feature 48 teams and the first to be co-hosted by three different countries in the USA, Mexico and Canada.Brazil, Italy and Germany are the most successful nations in World Cup history, but who will lift the trophy next summer? Here is our article on everything you need to know about the premier spectacle in football, including the latest World Cup winner odds.Latest World Cup winner oddsHere are the latest odds from our recommended football bookies:Spain – 9/2 with bet365England – 6/1 with BoyleSportsFrance – 7/1 with BetfredBrazil – 8/1 with talkSPORT BETArgentina – 8/1 with bet365Germany – 12/1 with BetwayPortugal – 12/1 with talkSPORT BETNetherlands – 20/1 with ToteNorway – 25/1 with BetfredBelgium – 33/1 with Sky BetItaly – 43/1 with SBKColombia – 50/1 with BetwayUruguay – 80/1 with bet365Croatia – 80/1 with talkSPORT BET*Odds correct as of 8th December and are subject to change.The favourites to win World Cup 2026The following five teams are currently considered the favourites to win World Cup 2026 by the bookies. SpainAccording to the latest World Cup winner betting odds, Spain are the favourites to lift the trophy in 2026. La Roja produced a dazzling few weeks of football at Euro 2024, a tournament they won despite a tricky route to the final.Their possession-based game is well suited to the heat and humidity that will be present next summer, although Rodri’s struggles to stay fit mean Spain could be without their most important player. Even so, Luis de la Fuente’s men are the team to beat. Bet on Spain at 9/2 with bet365 EnglandEngland have as many big-name players in their ranks as any other team, and these days they do not all play in the English Premier League. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) and Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) are thriving overseas, while Phil Foden (Manchester City) is another exceptional talent.In all probability, Thomas Tuchel will stand down as manager after the tournament but, for this World Cup, England will have one of the best coaches on the planet at their disposal. The Three Lions will be aiming to win their first major competition overseas. Bet on England at 6/1 with BoyleSports FranceAnother European team looking to add another star to their jerseys are France, the 2018 champions and 2022 runners-up. Didier Deschamps, who will vacate his position after the tournament, has a proven track record in knockout football.France also benefit from arguably the deepest squad in the international game right now.There is an embarrassment of riches available to Deschamps, particularly in forward areas, where Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola and others are competing to play alongside Kylian Mbappé. Bet on France at 7/1 with Betfred BrazilBrazil, the only ever-presents since the tournament began back in 1930, are fourth in the market for World Cup 2026 winner odds.They had their problems in qualifying, but the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti has raised optimism levels ahead of the big kick-off.Brazilian fans will not be content with coming second, so there will be significant pressure on the Seleção in 2026. Brazil have won the World Cup a record five times, but their last success came way back in 2002. Make no mistake, though: they have the players and the manager to go all the way. Bet on Brazil at 8/1 with talkSPORT BET ArgentinaThe statistics show that it is difficult to win back-to-back World Cups, with Brazil the only team to do so, in 1958 and 1962. Nevertheless, Argentina are definitely contenders to build on their success in Doha four years ago.Lionel Messi is past his best these days, yet he is still a fantastic player on his day. Argentina have a useful blend of youth and experience within their ranks, and they romped their way to top spot in South America’s marathon qualification process. Bet on Argentina at 8/1 with bet365 Who else could challenge?The following three sides will also hope to challenge for the trophy at World Cup 2026. GermanyGermany are next on the list of World Cup outright winner odds. This is not a vintage German side, but Julian Nagelsmann is an astute manager, the sort who could easily get a job at one of Europe’s major clubs after the tournament has finished.Germany may actually enjoy being outside the top five favourites. They only reached the quarter-finals of the last European Championship but were one of the most impressive performers at that event, albeit on home soil. Write Germany off at your peril. Bet on Germany at 12/1 with Betway ItalyWith four world titles to their name, Italy are an iconic World Cup team. However, the Azzurri missed out on the 2018 and 2022 editions of the tournament, and their fans are worried that they could be absent from the 2026 competition too.After finishing second to Norway in their qualification group, Gennaro Gattuso’s side must go through the European play-offs to earn a berth in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Provided they qualify, Italy are potential contenders – albeit not as one of the favourites. Bet on Italy at 43/1 with SBK UruguayChampions in 1930 and 1950, Uruguay will hope to win a third World Cup title in 2026. Luis Suárez has departed the scene, with Darwin Núñez now the main man in attack. Marcelo Bielsa’s team can also lean on Premier League duo Rodrigo Bentancur and Manuel Ugarte in midfield.One doubt is over whether Uruguay will be able to play Bielsa’s brand of hard-running, fast-paced football in the heat of North America in June and July, especially after a gruelling club campaign. Bet on Uruguay at 80/1 with bet365 Who could win their first ever World Cup?The following three teams will be attempting to win the World Cup for the first time ever. PortugalPortugal have enjoyed their fair share of success on the continental stage of late, winning the European Championship and two Nations Leagues over the last decade or so. They are now aiming to become world champions for the first time ever.The jury is still out on Roberto Martínez overall, but the Portugal boss is at least very experienced in the international arena. Cristiano Ronaldo is still playing for his country, but Bruno Fernandes could be their key player at World Cup 2026. Bet on Portugal at 12/1 with talkSPORT BET NetherlandsRunners-up on three occasions, the Netherlands are still waiting to win their first World Cup. Semi-finalists at Euro 2024, the Dutch have improved under Ronald Koeman, and a centre-back partnership of Virgil van Dijk and Micky van de Ven is one of the strongest around.The Netherlands have talent elsewhere in the squad too, but the reliance on Memphis Depay up front could develop into a slight issue given the forward’s advancing years. Nevertheless, the Dutch are in decent shape as things stand. Bet on Netherlands at 20/1 with Tote BelgiumBelgium’s golden generation was not quite able to get over the line at a World Cup or European Championship, but perhaps the reduced pressure will actually work in the Red Devils’s favour in the Americas. Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne are still going strong, while Jérémy Doku is one of the most thrilling forwards around at the moment.Belgium are not among the outright favourites to claim success in 2026, but they have the potential to be difficult opponents for anyone. However, they were massive disappointments at Euro 2024 in Germany. Bet on Belgium at 33/1 with Sky Bet Who could spring a surprise?The following three sides are among the outsiders aiming to spring a surprise at World Cup 2026. NorwayMany pre-World Cup predictions are bound to mention Norway as possible dark horses. The Northern Europeans qualified in style, turning in excellent performance after excellent performance – including in victories over Italy both home and away.Erling Haaland is the most prolific centre-forward in world football, but it would be wrong to call Norway a one-man team. Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard is another important player for Ståle Solbakken’s side, who do not intend to merely make up the numbers next summer. Bet on Norway at 25/1 with Betfred ColombiaAny analysis of potential first-time winners would be incomplete without mentioning Colombia, another football-mad country in South America. Los Cafeteros reached the final of the most recent edition of the Copa America, while they qualified for the World Cup with a degree of comfort. James Rodríguez is still involved with the national team, while Bayern Munich forward Luis Díaz, Crystal Palace wing-back Daniel Muñoz and Galatasaray centre-back Davinson Sánchez provide further quality. Bet on Colombia at 50/1 with Betway CroatiaCroatia seem to like being underdogs, but after their run to the final in 2018 and the semis in 2022, no one will underestimate Zlatko Dalić’s team this time around. Perennial overachievers, Croatia are more than capable of reaching the latter stages in the USA, Canada and Mexico.Luka Modrić is still the heartbeat of this side at the age of 40, while Ivan Perišić and Andrej Kramarić are still around too. Elsewhere, Joško Gvardiol has only improved since joining Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Bet on Croatia at 80/1 with talkSPORT BET The World Cup 2026 drawThe draw for World Cup 2026 was made on 5th December at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. The 48 teams – six of which are still TBC with European and inter-confederation play-offs to be played in March – were split into four pots of 12, largely based on the latest FIFA World Rankings. The three co-hosts were placed in Pot One, with the “placeholder” teams filling out Pot Four.US sporting icons Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Judge and Wayne Gretzky then drew out all of the teams into 12 groups of 4 – with Rio Ferdinand and Samantha Johnson explaining the various complications, and the new format has thrown up plenty. No more than one team per confederation could go into each group – except for UEFA, which is represented by 16 nations at the tournament.These groups are below – the top two from each will advance to the knockout phase alongside the eight best third-place finishers. Group AMexicoSouth AfricaKorea RepublicCzechia / Denmark / North Macedonia / Republic of IrelandGroup BCanadaItaly / Bosnia and Herzegovina / Northern Ireland / WalesQatarSwitzerlandGroup CBrazilMoroccoHaitiScotlandGroup DUSAParaguayAustraliaKosovo / Romania / Slovakia / TürkiyeGroup EGermanyCuraçaoCôte d’IvoireEcuadorGroup FNetherlandsJapanSweden / Ukraine / Poland / AlbaniaTunisiaGroup GBelgiumEgyptIR IranNew ZealandGroup HSpainCabo VerdeSaudi ArabiaUruguayGroup IFranceSenegalBolivia / Suriname / IraqNorwayGroup JArgentinaAlgeriaAustriaJordanGroup KPortugalDR Congo / New Caledonia / JamaicaUzbekistanColombiaGroup LEnglandCroatiaGhanaPanamaThe World Cup venues have already been linked to specific groups so as to reduce travel distances. For instance, Group A’s games will be played mostly in Mexico, while half of the Group B matches will take place in Canada. England’s three group games against Croatia, Ghana and Panama will be played in Dallas, Boston and New Jersey respectively – the latter two being on the East Coast – which is closer to us watching at home, meaning there will be less of a time difference!The knockout bracket has been compiled ahead of time, allowing teams to plot their potential route to the final. For example, the winner of H is guaranteed to play the runner-up of Group J in the round of 32.Standout ties in the World Cup 2026 group stageThe expanded format has had its fair share of criticism, and now that the groups have been decided, it’s difficult to argue that the strength of the competition hasn’t been diluted. While the abundance of new nations will add an element of je ne sais quoi, it shouldn’t amount to much real jeopardy for the tournament favourites – who will all, surely, cruise through, especially with the extra safety net of two thirds of third-placed teams also qualifying for a last 32 round.There may be no traditional “Group of Death” but there are still some tasty ties to look forward to, and we’ve picked out a few here:Mexico v South AfricaThe opening game of the tournament in the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City will see the reverse of the memorable curtain-raiser from the 2010 tournament, when a goal from Siphiwe Tshabalala lit up Johannesburg and almost gave the hosts a dream start (Mexico eventually salvaged a 1-1 draw).This is the first time Bafana Bafana have qualified for the tournament since. Burnley’s Lyle Foster will likely lead the line for them this time.Brazil v MoroccoMorocco were the surprise package of the 2022 tournament, having topped a group containing Croatia and Belgium and then knocking out Spain and Portugal en route to a historic semi-final – they became the first ever African side to reach the last four.Brazil, of course, need no introduction. They’ve won more World Cups than anyone else and will this time be led by Carlo Ancelotti, who’s won the Champions League – the pinnacle of club football – five times throughout his illustrious career. Spain v UruguayGroup H is the only one of the twelve to feature two previous winners, and they’ll meet in matchday 3 in a potential group decider. Uruguay may not be as strong as they were during the 2010, 2014 and 2018 tournaments when the likes of Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani were around, but they’re always a feisty opponent and European champions Spain will have to be on top of their game – or they may slip to second and face a trickier route through the knockouts.France v NorwayThis matchup pits Kylian Mbappé against Erling Haaland – who are largely considered to be the two best strikers in the world and the closest thing we currently have to a Lionel Messi v Cristiano Ronaldo type of rivalry.France underwhelmed at Euro 2024, but have reached the last two World Cup finals. Norway’s next appearance at a major tournament has been eagerly anticipated ever since Haaland’s Dortmund days, where he quickly became a goal machine.England v CroatiaEngland fans don’t have many fond memories of games against Croatia. The 2018 run to the semis in Russia was ended by the Balkans and it was also a 3-2 defeat to the same opposition which resulted in the last failure to qualify for a major tournament back in the Euro 2008 campaign.Here, however, there won’t be quite so much at stake – it’ll be the opener for Thomas Tuchel and his team but they’ll be keen to start strongly as the other two Group L opponents won’t be pushovers.Panama have risen up the world rankings since the Three Lions hammered them 6-1 at the 2018 World Cup. Ghana may be down in 72nd but will have the likes of Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus in their lineup – who are starring at Premier League clubs – plus former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey.World Cup bet buildersNow the draw has been made, bookies have started offering more outright markets such as “stage of elimination” and “Group A winner”, “Group B winner”, etc.Some bookies may allow you to combine these into a bet builder – essentially an accumulator combining a series of outrights. If you feel strongly about which teams will finish top in three or four of the groups, you can add all these together for a more lucrative potential payout. It goes without saying, however, that a bet like this has much lower chances of winning.Here are a couple of examples, with current odds:Brazil – Stage of EliminationQuarter-Final – 3/1Round of 16 – 7/2Round of 32 – 4/1Semi-Final – 4/1Runner-Up – 13/2Winner – 8/1Group Stage – 20/1Group I WinnerFrance – 4/9Norway – 11/4Senegal – 7/1Inter-confederation Playoff winner 2 – 33/1*All odds, courtesy of bet365, are correct as of 8th December and are subject to change.As the tournament gets underway, you’ll also be able to create bet builders on each and every game – mixing all the usual props such as goalscorers, shots, corners and cards. What could cause the World Cup winner odds to change before the tournament?As a quadrennial event, each World Cup stands separate from all others. Indeed, although Argentina are the defending champions, much has changed for them and others since their triumph in 2022. International football is cyclical and national teams tend to be less settled than club sides. While there are useful takeaways from qualifying, much will depend on the form and fitness of players when the competition actually gets under way.Injuries to key playersA footballer’s worst nightmare is to suffer an injury that rules him out of the World Cup. But with the calendar so packed in the modern game, wear and tear is inevitable – and injuries have always been part and parcel of professional sport. Some teams have a decent amount of strength in depth, while others are reliant on a core group of players. To take one example, Norway without Erling Haaland would be an entirely different proposition, as would a Mohamed Salah-less Egypt.A tough drawAs touched upon above, even though a group stage exit for one of the heavyweights is less likely in a 48-team event, the knockout pathways can definitely vary in terms of difficulty (on paper). It’s also worth noting that the teams playing group games in Dallas, Atlanta and New York City may gain a slight advantage as those are the venues that will host the semi-finals and final.In-form players The form of individual players can also affect outcomes, and it is something that you should bear in mind before placing any wagers on the tournament. If Kylian Mbappé arrives in North America on the back of a goal drought, France would be a lesser team. There is no transfer market in international football, so managers have to make do with what they have got.Form could also influence who starts at the World Cup. Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer are all vying to be England’s No.10, and much will come down to how each one is playing towards the end of the season. How to bet on World Cup 2026Betting on World Cup 2026 could not be easier.The first thing to do is to sign up for an account with your preferred bookmaker or betting appDeposit some money to get started. Remember, most bookies offer sign-up offers such as free bets or price boosts, so shop around to find the best deals.Customers can place bets on individual matches (Brazil to beat England) or on tournament outrights (Spain to win World Cup 2026), as well as on multiple in-game options.There will be hundreds of different markets in total, from total goals to number of bookings. Simply add your selection to your bet slip and away you go! Keeping up with the latest World Cup 2026 newsThere will be wall-to-wall coverage of World Cup 2026 throughout the tournament. In the UK, you will be able to watch the action on the BBC and ITV, while talkSPORT will also cover matches on the radio. In the USA, the broadcasting rights are held by Fox Sports.You will also be able to follow the latest news online, on social media, on TV and in newspapers. One thing is for sure: you will not have to look too hard to find information about World Cup 2026. Read more about the 2025/26 football seasonBest football betting sites Premier League relegation odds and predictionsPremier League top scorer predictionsChampionship promotion predictionsAbout the authorGreg LeaGreg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootballCommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. 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