WASH DC – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Spain remained the favorite to win the 2026 World Cup following Friday’s draw, while the United States men’s national team saw its odds shorten after being placed in what’s widely viewed as a favorable bracket. The top-ranked team in the FIFA Men’s World Ranking, Spain was the +400 pre-draw favorite at BetMGM. Those odds remained unchanged after being placed in Group H with Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Cabo Verde.
England holds the second shortest odds at +600, followed by France at +700 and defending champion Argentina at +800 along with Brazil. The odds are similar at DraftKings, where Spain is the +450 favorite ahead of England (+550) and France (+750) with Argentina and Brazil at +800. Spain is BetMGM’s second-biggest liability, leading all countries with 13.0% of all tickets and 17.0% of the money placed on the 2026 World Cup winner.
The biggest liability? That would be the emotional support thrown behind the USMNT.
A +6600 longshot before the draw, the USMNT had still been backed by 6.2% of all money wagered. Those odds shortened to +5000 after the USMNT was placed in Group D along with Australia, Paraguay and a yet-to-be determined European playoff team (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo). The U.S. will play Paraguay on June 12 (Inglewood, Calif.), Australia on June 19 (Seattle) and the third group member on June 25 (Inglewood, Calif.). It is a +125 favorite to beat Paraguay and the +100 favorite to win Group D.
The USMNT and rival Mexico also share the co-14th shortest odds in the 48-team field at +5000 each to win the title. Mexico will play the first match of the tournament on June 11 against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Mexico and South Africa are in Group A with South Korea and a yet-to-be determined European playoff team (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or Ireland). Mexico opened as a -200 favorite to beat South Africa and as the +130 favorite to win the group.
Joining Canada in Group B are Switzerland, Qatar and a yet-to-be determined European playoff team (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina). Canada is the only one of the three co-host countries not to be favored to win its group, with the to-be-determined team — presumed to be 12th-ranked Italy — offered at +125 ahead of Switzerland (+175) and Canada (+250).
The USMNT remained +8000 at DraftKings, where it has the same odds as rival Mexico, Ecuador, Morocco and Switzerland. Canada is a +25000 longshot at the book.
2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUPS
Group A: Korea, Mexico, South Africa, TBD (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia or Ireland)
Group B: Canada, Qatar, Switzerland, TBD (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina)
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D: Australia, Paraguay, USA, TBD ((Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo)
Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, TBD (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland or Albania)
Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, TBD (Bolivia, Suriname or Iraq)
Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, TBD (New Caledonia, Jamaica or Congo DR)
Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
Forty-two nations have qualified.
The other six participants are still to be determined through UEFA and inter-confederation playoffs being held in March.
The top two finishers from each group, along with the eight best third-place teams, will advance to the final 32 for the knockout stage.
The championship match will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Matches are taking place in 16 cities across North America, including two in Canada (Toronto, Vancouver) and three in Mexico (Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara).
Locations across the U.S. are Atlanta, Boston (Foxborough, Mass.), Dallas (Arlington, Texas), Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles (Inglewood, Calif.), Miami (Miami Gardens, Fla.), New York/New Jersey (East Rutherford, N.J.), Philadelphia, San Francisco (Santa Clara, Calif.) and Seattle.
–Field Level Media