Updated 2026 World Cup Odds: Who Has the Best Chance to Lift the Trophy?

The knockout stage has arrived, and that’s when the World Cup becomes a completely different tournament. The group stage is about surviving. From here on, every match is an elimination game. One defensive mistake, one brilliant goal, or one penalty shootout can send even the strongest team home. That’s why oddsmakers have already adjusted the championship odds after seeing how each country navigated the opening round.

The Round of 32 officially began Sunday, with Canada becoming the first nation to advance after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Africa. It was the only knockout match completed before Monday’s full schedule, but it showed exactly what this stage of the tournament is all about. Winning is the only statistic that matters.

France Has Become the Team to Beat

France wasn’t the betting favorite when the tournament began, but that has changed. After a strong group stage, Les Bleus now sit atop the odds board at +370. France has looked balanced throughout the competition, defending well while creating plenty of scoring opportunities. More importantly, the team has avoided the inconsistency that has plagued several other favorites.

The difficult part begins now. France landed on one of the tougher sides of the bracket, meaning every match from this point forward could feel like a final. The talent is there to win another World Cup, but the path certainly won’t be easy.

Argentina Looks Like Great Value

The defending champions have quietly moved into an excellent position. Argentina is now listed at +470, the second-best odds remaining in the tournament. While the defending champions handled business during the group stage, the bigger advantage may be the bracket itself. Compared to several European powers, Argentina appears to have a more favorable route over the next few rounds.

That doesn’t guarantee anything, but avoiding several tournament favorites until later in the competition is never a bad thing. It’s one reason sportsbooks continue to give Argentina plenty of respect.

England and Spain Are Right Behind

England enters the knockout stage at +550 at Everygame.eu, with Spain close behind at +600. Spain actually opened the tournament as the betting favorite, but the odds shifted after the bracket was finalized. It isn’t because Spain played poorly. Instead, the road ahead became much more difficult. Potential meetings with Portugal, Belgium or the United States, and France create one of the toughest possible paths to the championship.

England, meanwhile, appears to have avoided some of those obstacles. The Three Lions continue to be viewed as one of the strongest all-around teams remaining, making them a serious contender to reach the final.

Several Teams Are Waiting to Make a Move

Brazil and Portugal are both priced at +1200 at Everygame.eu, while Germany and the Netherlands sit at +1600. None of those countries have dominated headlines through the opening phase, but every one of them has enough quality to make a deep run. Tournament soccer often comes down to confidence, and one impressive victory can completely change how a team is viewed.

The United States checks in at +4000, followed by Morocco and Mexico at +4500. Belgium (+5000), Japan (+5500), and Switzerland (+5500) also remain alive and capable of pulling off an upset.

Canada Has Already Changed the Conversation

Canada entered the knockout stage carrying +22500 odds to win the World Cup, making Sunday’s victory over South Africa even more impressive.

Nobody is suddenly calling Canada the favorite, but advancing to the Round of 16 gives the Canadians confidence while proving they belong among the tournament’s remaining teams. Every World Cup seems to produce a surprise story, and Canada has positioned itself to become one of them.

Cape Verde also deserves recognition after reaching the knockout stage despite opening the tournament at +250000. Drawing Spain during the group stage showed that the underdogs are more than capable of making life difficult for the traditional powers.

The betting odds will almost certainly change again before the Round of 16 is complete. That’s the nature of knockout soccer. Every result reshapes the bracket, and every upset creates a new favorite. France enters this stage with the shortest odds, but Argentina, England, Spain, Brazil, and several others have shown enough to believe they can still be celebrating when the World Cup comes to an end.