Betting on the 2026 World Cup Final: Predictions and Odds
The Netherlands have reached the World Cup final three times – and have never won. Uruguay has made it to the decisive match twice – and both times won the trophy. Portugal has never even reached the final.
Scores24 will predict the World Cup champion later, but for now, let's consider the potential finalists for 2026, examine the odds, and offer a forecast for the World Cup finalists.
In brief:
- The 2026 World Cup final will be held at the MetLife Stadium in the USA on July 19 at 19:00 local time.
- The main favorites to reach the final, according to bookmakers, are Spain, France, and England.
- Portugal's national team has never played in the World Cup finals, Germany has reached the final more often than any other team (8 times).
- For the first time in history, the 1/16 final stage will take place at the 2026 World Cup. To reach the final, teams need to play seven matches.
Odds for reaching the 2026 World Cup final
Playoff format: in 2026, with the expansion of the number of tournament participants, there will be a 1/16 final stage, although for many years teams started the playoffs from the ⅛ final. Now the journey becomes longer, and determining the finalists – more difficult. The bookmakers' favorites to reach the 2026 World Cup final remain the teams of Spain, France, and England.
The odds are given approximately, may vary in different bookmakers and are current at the time of publication
Will Reach the Final | Will Not Reach the Final | |
Spain | 3.30 | 1.35 |
France | 3.50 | 1.30 |
England | 4.00 | 1.25 |
Brazil | 5.00 | 1.17 |
Argentina | 5.50 | 1.15 |
Portugal | 6.00 | 1.13 |
Germany | 6.50 | 1.11 |
Netherlands | 8.00 | 1.08 |
Norway | 12.00 | 1.04 |
Belgium | 18.00 | 1.01 |
Colombia | 22.00 | – |
USA | 22.00 | – |
Switzerland | 22.00 | – |
Japan | 30.00 | – |
Uruguay | 30.00 | – |
Mexico | 30.00 | – |
Croatia | 30.00 | – |
Morocco | 30.00 | – |
| Ecuador | 35.00 | – |
| Senegal | 35.00 | – |
| Turkey | 35.00 | – |
| Austria | 50.00 | – |
| Paraguay | 50.00 | – |
| Canada | 50.00 | – |
| Sweden | 65.00 | – |
| Scotland | 65.00 | – |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 75.00 | – |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 75.00 | – |
| Egypt | 75.00 | – |
| Czech Republic | 100.00 | – |
| Algeria | 100.00 | – |
| South Korea | 150.00 | – |
| Tunisia | 150.00 | – |
| Ghana | 150.00 | – |
| Australia | 150.00 | – |
| Iran | 200.00 | – |
| South Africa | 300.00 | – |
| Saudi Arabia | 300.00 | – |
| Qatar | 300.00 | – |
| DR Congo | 300.00 | – |
| Panama | 500.00 | – |
| New Zealand | 500.00 | – |
| Iraq | 500.00 | – |
| Uzbekistan | 500.00 | – |
| Curaçao | 500.00 | – |
| Cape Verde | 500.00 | – |
| Jordan | 500.00 | – |
| Haiti | 1000.00 | – |
Favorites to reach the 2026 World Cup final
The bookmaker's odds show a rough balance of power not only at the group stage, but also in the playoff matches. The main favorites to reach the final are the teams of Spain, France, England, Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, and Germany. Bookmakers believe less in the teams of the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium.
Which teams have most often played in the World Cup final matches
- Germany – 8 finals (4 wins)
- Brazil – 7 finals (5 wins)
- Italy – 6 finals (4 wins)
- Argentina – 6 finals (3 wins)
- France – 4 finals (2 wins)
- Netherlands – 3 finals (0 wins)
- Uruguay – 2 finals (2 wins)
- Czechoslovakia – 2 finals (0 wins)
- Hungary – 2 finals (0 wins)
- England – 1 final (1 win)
- Spain – 1 final (1 win)
- Sweden – 1 final (0 wins)
- Croatia – 1 final (0 wins)
Interesting Facts About World Cup Finals
- Germany has played in more World Cup finals than any other nation, reaching the final eight times. Their most recent title match appearance came in 2014.
- Brazil remains the most successful national team in World Cup history with five titles. They have never lost a World Cup final in a penalty shootout.
- The Netherlands holds the record for the most lost World Cup finals among teams that have never won the tournament.
- Uruguay has reached the World Cup final twice and won on both occasions. However, their last triumph came back in 1950.
- France is the only national team in the 21st century to have reached two consecutive World Cup finals.
How to bet on the World Cup finalists
Study the possible grid
Take this recommendation seriously andTake a look at the bracket. In 2026, teams will have to go from the round of 16, so there is a chance that a top team will face another top team as early as the second round of the playoffs. Also, analyze the potential path of the favorites – there is a chance that the teams will end up in the same part of the bracket and meet at an earlier stage than the final.
Consider possible slip-ups of top teams
The playoff bracket implies more favorable opponents for the group winners and less favorable ones for the second and third teams of the group stage. Any slip-up of a favorite at the group stage will not only push it to the second position, but also send it to that part of the bracket where its path to the final will be much more difficult.
Pay attention to the logistics of the teams and the venues of the games
This is a common story for World Championships, where there is a lot of flying. Between playoff games, teams will have 3-5 days of rest, but half a day will be spent on the flight, adapting to new fields and everyday issues. At the same time, some teams may get a schedule with 2-3 short trips throughout the tournament.
Mistakes players make when betting on the group stage
Not studying the playoff bracket
Look at who the potential group winners and tournament favorites are facing. For example, with a successful performance at the group stage, the teams of France and Germany could meet as early as the round of 16.
Not considering the age of team leaders
In the 2026 tournament, the finalist is required to play eight matches, not seven, as in recent years due to the introduction of the round of 16. This is an important point, considering that in a month, older footballers will have to play this number of matches after a heavy club season. Carefully analyze the potential path of the teams of Belgium and Croatia, whose leaders are already 30+ years old.
Prediction for the 2026 World Cup final
We have previously prepared a prediction for the playoff participants of the World Cup. Based on this data, we have compiled a playoff bracket and predicted the most likely, in our opinion, pair of finalists.
The Scores24 editorial team believes that France and Portugal will compete for the trophy in 2026. France boasts a cohesive and stable squad, with several players who have already reached the World Cup final twice. The French team's most likely path to the final could be challenging, potentially including matches against Germany, Morocco, Spain, or Belgium. However, Didier Deschamps already overcame Morocco four years ago while also eliminating England, and in 2018 he successfully navigated a difficult knockout route featuring Argentina, Uruguay, and Belgium.
Portugal, meanwhile, appears surprisingly undervalued by bookmakers, despite bringing to North America one of the strongest squads in its history. The team possesses a phenomenal midfield, quality on the wings, a reliable defensive line, and two interchangeable strikers. While Portugal has never reached a World Cup final, it is impossible to ignore the strength of the 2026 Portuguese squad.
Bookmakers currently offer odds of 3.50 for France to reach the final and 6.00 for Portugal to do the same. For those who enjoy taking risks, a France vs Portugal final is available at odds of 25.00.
Predictions for all games of the 2026 World Cup will be available in the tournament section from June 9.
FAQ
When will the final of the 2026 Football World Championship take place?
The decisive match will take place on July 20 at 1:00 CET. Local time, the game will be held on July 19 at 19:00.
Where will the 2026 World Cup final be held?
At the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford (NJ, USA).
Who is considered the main favorite to reach the final of the World Championship?
The top three favorites to participate in the decisive match of the World Cup are the teams from Spain, France, and England. Bookmakers have slightly less confidence in Brazil, Argentina, Portugal, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Which team has most often played in the World Cup final?
The German team has made it to the final matches more often than any other team (8 times), although they have only won four trophies. Brazil has played in seven finals, while Italy and Argentina have competed in six.
Who has never lost in the World Championship final?
The Uruguay team. The Uruguayans played in the finals in the first half of the last century and won both matches. England and Spain also fought for the trophy once, each winning the decisive match.
Which team has never played in the World Cup final?
Among the top teams and main contenders for the final, the Portugal team has never reached the decisive match.
