2026 FIFA World Cup Bracket Predictions: Alexi Lalas’ Expert Picks

Tuesday’s tie, however, will be their first knockout match against an African nation. Looking beyond this match, Germany have a 78.6 percent chance of reaching the round of 16 and a 4.4 percent probability of winning the World Cup. Brazil won 57.3 percent of the 25,000 pre-match simulations, while Japan were victorious in 19.7 percent. The remaining 23.0 percent of simulations ended level after 90 minutes, meaning the tie would be decided in extra time or a penalty shootout.

What are the predictions for Colombia vs Portugal?

However, history is unlikely to repeat itself this time around, at least for the back-to-back World Cup finalists. Tunisia’s unenviable record of failing to advance from the group stage in each of their six previous World Cup campaigns suggests they could struggle to keep pace with the rest of the pack. Football’s biggest stage returns this summer as a stacked line-up of global contenders collide in pursuit of 2026 FIFA World Cup glory. Sweden (in 1958) and Czechia (in 1934 and 1962) have both been World Cup finalists previously (the latter as Czechoslovakia) but could still miss the tournament, as could former European champions Denmark. Appearing at their first World Cup since 1998, the Tartan Army are given a 0.2% chance of lifting the trophy, level with the likes of South Africa, Australia, Iran and Tunisia.

Messi has shown no signs of slowing down, helping Inter Miami reach the Major League Soccer Cup final while contributing a staggering 35 goals and providing 21 assists in MLS action this year. There should be plenty of service for Harry Kane, who is Europe’s most in-form striker, netting 24 goals in 20 matches for Bayern Munich since the start of the season in August. But there is a competitive race for the positions behind the England skipper after Tuchel suggested Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden could not both start, while Cole Palmer’s season has barely got going due to injuries. Messi (13) is one goal ahead of Mbappé, who will surely take possession of the record eventually.

What are the predictions for Jordan vs Argentina?

• We have analyzed 64 matches across 48 teams in the World Cup 2026, achieving a best-tip accuracy of over 71.9%.
• The Three Lions’ Round of 32 match is 5pm on Wednesday before Belgium vs. Senegal, with the winner of that one setting up a meeting with USA should the Stars and Stripes beat Bosnia.
• Looking ahead all the way to the final, two teams stand out from the crowd.
• Nestor Lorenzo’s team look a little more battle hardened and should edge through.
• Here’s the latest odds for the top 10 favourites to win the 2026 World Cup.
• Czechia holds a narrow edge thanks to their combination of veterans like Tomas Soucek and Patrik Schick, as well as somewhat newcomers in Ladislav Krejci and Pavel Sulc.
• He’s also identified a longshot team priced at over +1000 that could pull off a massive shocker and hoist the trophy.
• Top 10 championship probabilities based on FIFA ranking, ELO, and weighted recent form.
• The over/under for total goals scored in France vs. Sweden is 3.5.

England’s game control and defense will be hard to beat, but scoring on bigger stages has always been iffy. Then again, Harry Kane scored freely across Bundesliga and Champions League this season, at times playing in a deeper role than usual. Group A is a difficult group, with three teams capable of advancing.

Group D: Turkey vs USA Headline Group with Knockout Stakes

• Peter Fitzpatrick is an experienced sports journalist, having worked in the industry since August 2022 following a mid-pandemic career change.
• Watch Portugal, Germany, and Netherlands as potential disruptors.
• Outright odds for the World Cup are decided based on numerous factors and considerations from bookmakers, such as team strength, form through qualifiers, performance against big nations, among other things.
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• Saturday brings another big day at the FIFA World Cup, with six group-stage matches still to be played before the knockout rounds begin.
• Two teams who might not have expected to finish top of their groups.
• The top two in each advanced automatically, joined by the eight best third-placed teams.

France opened with a 3-1 win over Senegal and a 3-0 win over Iraq, then sealed Group I with a 4-1 win over Norway featuring an Ousmane Dembele hat-trick. With Mbappe in his prime, their knockout ceiling is the highest of any contender. Select a team above to see its group result and Round of 32 tie. Tap a contender to see its group run and knockout path, then lock in your pick. Get 2–4 premium picks daily with odds averaging 3.05 and our loss replacement guarantee.

Paraguay will be aiming to claim yet another major scalp when they face France in the World Cup last 16. However, we predict a 3-0 away win as les Tricolores look unstoppable at the moment. Paraguay produced a disciplined display to eliminate Germany after a dramatic penalty shootout, proving once again how difficult they are to break down in knockout football. England and DR Congo will be vying for a spot in the World Cup last 16 when they lock horns at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday.

Thursday, June 18

They fared slightly better with our model than the other first-timers Curaçao and Jordan (both 0.04%). If previous World Cups are anything to go by, shocks and surprises should be a given, so all those teams will still be dreaming of a deep run. They must get past Northern Ireland and potentially Wales to make it, with both of those sides hoping to join fellow home nations England and Scotland.

Contenders to Win the World Cup

Building momentum heading into a tournament is huge, and the vast majority of nations will play friendly matches with their strongest teams in close proximity to the tournament to build a rapport between the players. All three teams have a chance greater than 5% of winning the tournament, and of at least 10% to reach the final. The trio are closely matched and have regularly traded ranking positions leading up to the summer. These World Cup 2026 predictions combine the final group standings and results with our own group-by-group analysis, updated after every matchday. The picks weigh how each team actually performed, the strength of their group, and the bracket path ahead of them. This page is refreshed after each knockout round, so the picks always reflect the latest results.

His squad have a 22.1% hope of making the last four, at which stage few would want to face them. They have topped their first-round pool in every World Cup since 1982 and have a 60.4% chance of winning Group C. Ronaldo and his great rival Messi will make history this summer when they appear, becoming the first players to participate in six separate World Cups. Only one other nation – the outright favorites Spain – are likelier to win their pool than the reigning champions, with a favourable Group J draw pitting them against Austria, Algeria and Jordan. Man City midfielder Rodri is fit again and set to captain the team, while Yamal’s team-mate, striker Ferran Torres, is coming off an impressive campaign for title winners Barça. Mikel Oyarzabal and Mikel Merino were among Spain’s star performers in qualifying.

Before locking in your 2026 World Cup picks and other World Cup bets on betting sites like FanDuel, be sure to check out top picks from the team of experts at SportsLine. Similarly in the tournament itself, you might find that teams have already qualified for the knockout stage, or might be eliminated, which could lend itself to valuable FIFA World Cup betting opportunities if analysed correctly. With nations playing so infrequently, head-to-head results can have a much larger impact than it does for club teams. It can be important to look at historical matchups like England vs Germany for example, and where the results over the years may indicate which team might win the upcoming game.

Peter Fitzpatrick is an experienced sports journalist, having worked in the industry since August 2022 following a mid-pandemic career change. In the time since, he has worked for a wide range of well-known publications including the Evening Standard, FourFourTwo, Football365, GOAL and TNT Sports. In his current role as a freelance content producer for The Sporting News, he writes betting content mostly for football but also tennis, golf, rugby union and Formula 1. Argentina won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, defeating France in a breathtaking final that ended 3-3 after extra time world cup 2026 final predictions before the Albiceleste won on penalties.

World Cup Betting Stats and Data

Switzerland pipped Canada to win Group B. Colombia won Group K ahead of Portugal, the only group favorite not to finish top. Croatia recovered to take second in England’s group, pushing Ghana to a third-place spot. The group stage is finished and the Round of 32 began today with South Africa vs Canada in Los Angeles. Every result below is cross-checked against the final standings, so the picks reflect what actually happened on the pitch, not just pre-tournament models. Earn points, climb the leaderboard, and create private leagues with friends.

Curaçao are the smallest nation by both area and population to ever get this far and following their progress is one of many fascinating subplots to look out for in a World Cup that is not to be missed. New Zealand, meanwhile, have a 47.8% hope of finding a way out of Group G. That’s another tight pool, as Belgium are favourites, but Egypt and Iran are also expected to compete. Before a ball has been kicked, Scotland’s likeliest result is seen as elimination in the round of 32. They made it out of their group two-thirds of the time (66.1%), and a last-16 berth is a realistic objective, as this was achieved at a rate of 24.4%.

Jordan vs Argentina Prediction

Build your bracket, play the prediction league, and follow every match — all in one place. Gillette Stadium will host an intriguing World Cup last-32 clash between Germany and Paraguay. As Germany are eager to make amends for a shocking 2-1 loss to Ecuador, we predict a 2-1 home win. Germany failed to impress in their final group match, but with qualification already secured, the result had little significance. Expect a thrilling atmosphere at Estadio Banorte (Azteca) in Mexico City when Mexico and Ecuador square off in the World Cup last 32.

Ronaldo to go out in style by finally getting his hands on the World Cup

But the prospect of two icons duelling to end the tournament in the lead should be absorbing viewing. It is little surprise, then, that Spain are our predictive model’s early World Cup favourites, going all the way in 17.0% of tournament predictions. From the greatest individual rivalry of the 21st century to the greatest international soccer rivalry of all time. This will be tense, brutal and impossible to take your eyes off.

• Cape Verde’s three World Cup draws are a creditable return against Spain and Uruguay in particular, and their disciplined defensive structure has been central to that.
• Neymar is no longer the first name on the team sheet but whatever squad the now 34-year-old is part of will still be lifted by his presence.
• There are charts showing each team’s chance of winning it all, their most likely opponents at each stage, and precise odds for each game, including the likelihood of particular scores (e.g., Brazil 2-1).
• It is Argentina who go into the World Cup as defending champions after Lionel Messi helped to guide La Albiceleste to a famous triumph in Qatar towards the end of 2022.
• Argentina enter as defending champion, but without Angel Di Maria, one of the anchors of their last run, they lack the same spark.
• The 2026 World Cup is the first men’s World Cup in the United States since the 1994 tournament, and it’ll be unlike any World Cup ever played.
• All 72 group stage matches covered with win probability data, banker tips, accumulator strategy, and African kick-off times.
• He’s also been red-hot in 2026, posting an 18-8 record over his last 26 UCL picks, returning nearly $1,000 in profit.
• Germany and Paraguay meet in the knockout stage having faced each other only twice before.
• This Round of 32 tie should not test them, and a straightforward progression keeps them well-positioned in the World Cup 2026 bracket for the knockout rounds ahead.
• He is worth including in any anytime scorer selections at the best available price.

My Football Facts

• Arrowhead Stadium will host a compelling World Cup last-32 clash between Colombia and Ghana, with both sides arriving after contrasting group-stage performances.
• His England reign took some time to get going, as England laboured past Albania (3-0), Latvia (2-0), Andorra (1-0 and 2-0) and were beaten 3-1 by Senegal in a June friendly.
• South Korea and Czechia appear to be the likeliest candidates to challenge El Tri for the throne, but the 10-time Gold Cup winners should live up to their billing.
• Spain vs England – A repeat of the 2024 Euro final may produce the same heartbreaking outcome for the 1966 World Cup winners.
• For the first time in World Cup history, the winners and runners-up of each group will be joined in the knockout round of 32 by the eight best third-placed teams.
• It was Spain’s victory over England in the Euro 2024 final that heralded the end of Gareth Southgate’s time leading the Three Lions, ushering in Thomas Tuchel’s reign.
• He is the third player – alongside Messi and Ronaldo – able to appear at an unprecedented sixth edition of the World Cup and was selected for the Gold Cup, so watch this space.
• Congo DR and Uzbekistan are unlikely to factor heavily, making this a high‑stakes, two‑team race.
• Two of the all-time greats are poised to be the first men to play in six World Cups.
• Meanwhile, European soccer insider Martin Green has also revealed picks for Ivory Coast vs. Norway and Sweden vs. France.
• They conceded just eight goals across their last 16 World Cup qualifying matches, shutting out both Brazil and Argentina along the way.

David Raya, Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi are Premier League champions and Champions League runners-up. There are eight LaLiga winners from Barcelona – but, tellingly, none from Real Madrid. If you’re after a free-flowing side, stick to the Spains of this world. Led by Carlo Ancelotti, who gets over the line in knockout games by placing importance on defensive shape but allowing individual quality to shine through. The Opta supercomputer gives DR Congo the edge, with the Leopards winning 48.9 percent of its 25,000 pre-match simulations.

World Cup 2026: USMNT locks up spot in knockout rounds with 2-0 win over Australia

And while the U.S. doesn’t have a star the caliber of those players, Christian Pulisic stands out as a player to watch on the team. He delivered a gutsy performance in shaking off an injury to help the Americans reach the knockout round at the 2022 World Cup, becoming a household name. Then, in the final round of group play, there will be six games each day, with the teams in each group kicking off at the same time. Below is a daily World Cup game schedule so you can plan accordingly. In terms of winning the tournament, USA’s chances are more remote but still respectable at 1.2%. That puts them close to Switzerland, two-time winners Uruguay and Ecuador in our overall projections.

Morocco, Senegal, Ghana, and Ivory Coast are all set to feature in the tournament and could find a way to cause major upsets and book a spot in the latter rounds. It’s one thing having World Cup predictions at your disposal, but it’s important to use them correctly and alongside your own research. I would feel more confident in the U.S. going through to the semifinals in that scenario than us against someone like Spain. From animals to colors to local cultural symbols, every team (except one) has a special moniker that’s specific to their nation.

Switzerland enjoyed a solid group campaign, beating Bosnia and Canada while drawing 1-1 with Qatar in a match they arguably deserved more from. Group-by-group odds, knockout stage forecasts, and tapados watch — all powered by FIFA rankings, ELO ratings, and past tournament performance. Stephen Eustaquio’s late goal sparked jubilant celebrations among the co-hosts, with head coach Jesse Marsch telling his players they had become “Canadian heroes” and inspired the next generation of footballers. Canada reached the men’s World Cup last 16 for the first time after a dramatic stoppage-time victory over South Africa, marking the nation’s first knockout win at the tournament. Historically, the Netherlands have enjoyed a strong record against African opposition at the World Cup. They are unbeaten in six such matches, scoring at least twice in each of their victories.

• A confident victory over Curaçao on Matchday 3 showcased both their defensive organisation and attacking threat.
• Maradona in 1986 (30 shots, 19 open-play chances created, 53 fouls won).
• The White and Reds picked up four points from their three Group D matches to finish third, only behind second-placed Australia on goal difference.
• The top team from each group automatically qualifies for the FIFA World Cup Finals, whilst a 16-team play-off competition then decides the final four spots.
• France will pursue a third straight final and third title overall, while past winners Spain enter as European champions.
• These include betting offers, free bets, and casino promotions as well as other affiliate commissions —all subject to change and individual terms and conditions.
• The field has been supersized from 32 to 48 teams and the competition will begin in earnest on June 11 with Mexico hosting South Africa at Mexico City’s famed Estadio Azteca.
• Yahoo users are largely united about how the group stage will play out.
• It could be a question of who goes furthest of the contenders or who capitalises on weak opponents, and France have a tough group – but with Iraq in it.
• France have stumbled before, most notably conceding three goals in the 2022 final.

Our World Cup betting analysis draws on data from recent editions of the tournament to highlight consistent patterns and team performance metrics. The competition has averaged around 2.6 goals per match across its last five editions, with BTTS outcomes in roughly 48% of fixtures and clean sheets recorded in about 40%. These insights, combined with current team form, player fitness, and pre-tournament momentum, form the basis of our data-driven soccer betting tips and forecasts. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest ever, with the tournament expanding from 32 to 48 teams. That also means there are more nations than ever to make soccer picks and World Cup futures bets on, ahead of the opening match taking place on Thursday, June 11. The United States will begin play on June 12 and is a World Cup 2026 co-host alongside Canada and Mexico, but it’s European nations who top the latest soccer odds to win the tournament, per FanDuel Sportsbook.

Match Ticker

• Die Mannschaft actually locked horns with Paraguay in the last-16 stage of the 2002 World Cup, recording a 1-0 victory courtesy of a late effort from Oliver Neuville.
• 48 teams compete at the 2026 World Cup — expanded from 32 at Qatar 2022.
• For the co-hosts, Canada sits lowest in the rankings at 0.47%, with Mexico up at 1.81%.
• Elo ratings + XGBoost trained on 50,000+ international matches.
• South Africa and Egypt both reached the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time, while Turkiye finished bottom of Group D.
• A complete Python pipeline for predicting match outcomes, generatingexpected goals, and running Monte Carlo tournament simulations.Built for YouTube creators who want AI-powered soccer analysis.
• With 48 teams taking part, there also will be some new names gracing the tournament.
• Sixteen venues across the United States, Canada and Mexico will play host to the biggest-ever edition of the tournament, with the number of teams increasing from 32 and 48 and the tally of games upped from 64 to 104.
• As Belgium have been raising their form game by game, our prediction points toward a 2-1 home win.
• That is helpful to coach Luis de la Fuente given there are doubts over the fitness of Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal for their initial games as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

France have stumbled before, most notably conceding three goals in the 2022 final. With history on the line, I see France growing complacent, allowing Portugal to seize the moment with a historic 1–0 victory, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s legendary career with ultimate glory. England’s talent makes them a serious contender, but I’m backing Croatia to finish first based on their recent World Cup success under Luka Modric.

World Cup 2026 final prediction

• With a 14.1% chance, France are the supercomputer’s second favourites, just behind Spain, who beat them 5-4 in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League in June.
• They were Copa America runners-up on U.S. soil in 2024, only losing the final to Argentina in extra-time, and they also finished third in CONMEBOL qualifying.
• Portugal had an inconsistent group campaign, crushing Uzbekistan 5-0 but being held to draws by both DR Congo and Colombia.
• The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the biggest tournament in football history.
• In our pick ’em for the World Cup, users select who they think will win each of the 12 groups ahead of the tournament’s first game on Thursday.
• Historically, the Netherlands have enjoyed a strong record against African opposition at the World Cup.
• The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by the United States (11 venues), Mexico (3 venues), and Canada (2 venues) across 16 stadiums.
• Norway are the dark horse, and Lionel Messi heads the Golden Boot race after becoming the World Cup’s all-time top scorer.
• The Round of 32 is a brand-new knockout stage introduced for 2026.

A host nation with its collective tail up and bleary-eyed fans enduring a 1 a.m. Kickoff back in the UK feels like textbook ingredients for another English tale of World Cup woe. Egypt, Mohamed Salah and all, should have more than enough to do the job here. But time and again, they flatter to deceive on this stage, and the sight of them hanging on against Iran should give Australia plenty of encouragement. A battle of the veterans as Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, both into their fifth decade, face off for the last time on the big stage. Mexico at the Azteca, backed by a raucous home crowd, has become appointment viewing at this World Cup.

Teams mentioned in this article :

Simulate or predict every match of the 48-team tournament — group stage through the final. England will be looking to secure top spot in Group L when they take on already-eliminated Panama in their final group-stage match. As David faces Goliath at MetLife Stadium, we predict a routine 3-0 away win. Panama are playing only for pride after suffering narrow defeats to both Ghana and Croatia. Los Canaleros can count themselves unfortunate not to have collected at lea… Top position in Group K will be at stake when Colombia and Portugal lock horns in what promises to be a fascinating World Cup showdown.

You can get daily World Cup 2026 match tips and predictions right here on 1960Tips. Visit our World Cup 2026 predictions today page or our main football predictions page for daily updates throughout the tournament. Fresh match predictions, betting tips, and analysis updated every day throughout the tournament. Here is each team’s probability of winning the World Cup, and advancing to each stage of the knockout round, using an old-school, FiveThirtyEight heatmap format. France’s flawless group stage made them the favorite, Argentina drew the kinder half of the bracket, Norway are the dark horse, and Messi leads the Golden Boot race as the competition’s all-time top scorer. With the Round of 32 underway and this 48-team field wide open, we will update these picks after every round.

Final Thought

Norway are the dark horse, and Lionel Messi heads the Golden Boot race after becoming the World Cup’s all-time top scorer. Ivory Coast and Norway face each other at AT&T Stadium in what promises to be one of the most entertaining World Cup last-32 clashes, with 2-2 our predicted outcome. Ivory Coast secured their place in the knockout stages with a convincing 2-0 victory over Curacao, where Nicolas Pepe stole the headlines with a brilliant brace. Argentina will look to move one step closer toward their fourth World Cup trophy when they face Cape Verde in the last 32 of the showpiece tournament. As Argentina look unstoppable at the moment, our prediction firmly points toward a 2-0 home win. La Albiceleste arrive in perfect form with a 100% group-stage record, winning all their group matches and conceding just 0.20 goa…

Germany are given a 54.7 percent chance of winning inside 90 minutes, while Paraguay’s chances stand at 23.1 percent. The remaining 22.3 percent of simulations ended level after normal time, sending the tie to extra time and possibly penalties. Brazil and Japan match up in a Round of 32 contest in the World Cup 2026 on Monday. Brazil won Group C to advance to the knockout round, while Japan were runners-up in Group F. Both squads were undefeated in the 2026 World Cup group stage, with Brazil having 7 points, while the Japanese notched 5 points. These teams last met in Oct. 2025 in which Japan won for the first time in 14 matches versus the Brazilians.

As Spain faced no difficulties in the group stages, we predict a routine 2-0 home win. La Roja cruised through the group stage without conceding a single goal, underlining their status as genuine title contenders. World Cup 2026 Outright – Argentina @ 4/1Argentina sit second in the World Cup 2026 outright winner market at 4/1.

It is 24 years since Brazil last prevailed and only once before have they endured a drought of that length since first winning in 1958, which was between 1970 and 1994. Portugal go into the World Cup with momentum after winning the Nations League under Roberto Martínez. Portugal are fifth favourites to triumph, as Cristiano Ronaldo seeks the one honour still missing from his trophy cabinet. A rampant Kane scored an astonishing 61 club goals across all competitions (64 if you also include the Club World Cup) and finished the season in fine style with two consecutive hat-tricks. Harry Kane shouldn’t be short of service and Tuchel will be buoyed by the fact his captain is coming off a sensational campaign with Bayern Munich that saw him win the European Golden Shoe award. France are seen as having the most difficult group of the leading teams, as they face Norway, Senegal and Iraq in Group I.

Ivory Coast arguably should have won all three of their Group E matches after they threw away a 1-0 lead to lose late against Germany, but Emerse Fae’s team have found goals hard to come by. The same cannot be said of Norway and their rested and refreshed talisman Erling Haaland. Get expert predictions for every match, updated daily throughout the tournament. They face Ghana and could reach the quarterfinals without meeting a top seed. Debutants Cape Verde finished second in Group H ahead of two-time champions Uruguay, who went home. South Africa and Egypt both reached the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time, while Turkiye finished bottom of Group D.

The Favourites

Jamiro Monteiro and Garry Rodrigues add craft in midfield, and manager Aguas is expected to name a similar side to the one that earned three draws through the group phase. For the co-hosts, Canada sits lowest in the rankings at 0.47%, with Mexico up at 1.81%. The USMNT leads the way once again at 2.45%, but there are 10 teams seen as more likely winners.

World Cup futures, soccer best bets, FIFA predictions

However, there’s a good reason why Switzerland are odds-on to walk away with a top-table finish, having progressed from the group stages in four of their five World Cup appearances this century. South Korea and Czechia appear to be the likeliest candidates to challenge El Tri for the throne, but the 10-time Gold Cup winners should live up to their billing. With 48 teams taking part, there also will be some new names gracing the tournament. Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, now teammates at Napoli, and Thibaut Courtois will all feature at a fourth edition of the World Cup – no player has ever represented Belgium at more (Enzo Scifo also four). Those teams round out the top 10 favourites, with Belgium next with a 1.9% probability.

If you’re looking for a simple way to watch the World Cup in English on Fox and in Spanish on Telemundo, Xfinity makes it easy to follow the World Cup and stay connected to global soccer year‑round. With the World Soccer Ticket, fans get access to top leagues, live TV, and streaming — all in one place — so you never miss the action. This promises to be one of the most evenly matched ties of the Round of 32. Ivory Coast has the physicality and midfield quality to frustrate Norway, but the Scandinavian side’s clinical finishing and attacking firepower could ultimately prove decisive.

Our World Cup 2026 predictions land on France beating Argentina 2-1 in the July 19 final at New York New Jersey Stadium, a rematch of 2022. France and Argentina are the most likely finalists, sitting on opposite halves of the bracket. Spain and Brazil are the strongest challengers, though Spain would have to get past Argentina in the semifinals to reach the final on July 19. France are the form pick after winning Group I with three wins from three, beating Senegal, Iraq and Norway. Argentina are the closest challenger and sit on the opposite half of the bracket, setting up a possible repeat of the 2022 final.

Anyway, the evidence thus far is that Mbappe scores goals in World Cups. The Opta supercomputer makes Brazil the favourites to reach the next round. Brazil have dominated this fixture over the years, winning 11 of their 14 previous meetings with Japan and losing only once.