The World Cup is still several weeks away, but the sportsbooks have already unveiled many of their futures markets. Soccer fans can wager on group winners, how far teams will progress, and much more.
Here are some of our value early World Cup futures picks:
France To Win World Cup (+600 at Caesars)
Are France underrated heading into this World Cup? Les Bleus don’t have the same depth they did at the end of the last decade, but in tournament football, that matters less.
The starting XI is still one of the best in the world. Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Rayan Cherki, and Michael Olise headline the attack, while Warren Zaïre-Emery, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni, and N’Golo Kanté anchor the midfield. The back line remains loaded with top-tier options for Didier Deschamps.
A semi-final run at the Euros being viewed as a disappointment says everything about the standard. France has reached the last two World Cup finals and has a real chance to make it three in a row.
Mikel Oyarzabal To Win Golden Boot (+1600 at Bet365)
Oyarzabal has 12 La Liga goals in 2025-26. He ranks fifth in expected goals in Spain’s top flight and is expected to start at center forward for Spain.
Lamine Yamal, if he’s fit, and Nico Williams will be on the flanks. The duo dominated at the Euros two years ago and should create plenty of chances for whoever leads the line.
Oyarzabal doesn’t need to do too much. Smart positioning and clean finishing should be enough. With group stage matches against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde, he has a real chance to get out to an early lead in the Golden Boot race.
England To Reach Semi-Finals (+175 at BetRivers)
England have reached at least the semi-finals in three of their last four major tournaments. Thomas Tuchel is a master of knockout football.
Harry Kane remains the focal point, and the core of this squad has been through deep World Cup runs before. That experience matters in these spots.
England also caught a favorable draw. Mexico are the most likely Round of 32 opponent, and Brazil, who aren’t at their usual level, could be waiting in the Round of 16. The path is manageable, and anything short of a semi-final would be a disappointment.
Norway To Reach Quarter-Finals (+240 at Caesars)
Norway won all six of their qualifying matches. Their chances at the World Cup aren’t just about Erling Haaland’s goal-scoring prowess. This is a squad with established players throughout, including plenty of experience in Europe’s top five leagues.
A second-place finish in Group I behind France would set up a matchup with the Group E runner-up, most likely Ecuador. From there, Brazil, Morocco, Japan, or the Netherlands could be waiting in the Round of 16.
The Norwegians aren’t under the same weight of expectations as many of their opponents. Playing with freedom could power a deep run.
Uruguay To Reach Quarter-Finals (+350 at Bet365)
Uruguay are paired with Spain, which likely puts them on track for a second-place finish in the group. That would set up a Round of 32 matchup with Argentina, a tough but familiar opponent.
Since the last World Cup, though, Uruguay beat Argentina 2-0 in Buenos Aires and lost 1-0 in Montevideo. If they were to overcome the winner of Group J, a very favorable matchup against the runner-up in Group D or Group G would await.
La Celeste don’t have the big names of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani anymore, but this squad has experience throughout the spine and has proven to be very hard to beat. A deep run with several clean sheets is very much in play.
Paraguay To Finish Bottom of Group D (+225 at DraftKings)
Paraguay exited the 2024 Copa América at the group stage and are back in the World Cup for the first time since 2010. Recent results haven’t been convincing either, with losses to the United States, South Korea, and Morocco since October.
Group D isn’t particularly strong, which creates some opportunity in this market. The United States will be a tough out on home soil, while Australia reached the Round of 16 in Qatar and tends to be more competitive than expected. Turkey also bring enough talent to make things difficult despite limited tournament experience.
That leaves Paraguay and Australia battling for position. Paraguay’s recent form is a concern, but that’s also reflected in the price, making them an intriguing option at the right number.
Japan/Netherlands Group F Straight Forecast (+500 at Bet365)
The Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia form one of the most balanced groups in this World Cup. That creates opportunity in the group finishing markets for bettors who can get the order right.
Japan showed in 2022, with wins over Germany and Spain, that they can beat top teams. Sweden and Tunisia won’t be easy, but Japan has the flexibility to control matches against weaker sides and adjust their approach against stronger opponents like the Netherlands.
The Dutch have been steady since the Euros, but Ronald Koeman’s side doesn’t have the same attacking firepower as some of the other contenders.
Switzerland/Canada Group B Straight Forecast (+200 at Bet365)
All three of Canada’s group matches are being played north of the border. Switzerland have advanced from the group stage in four of the last five World Cups and each of the last three European Championships.
Qatar are a non-factor. Bosnia and Herzegovina battled through the playoffs to qualify. Canada should have a strong chance to get a result against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the opener, which would put them in a good position to finish top two.
The bigger risk is Switzerland dropping points early. If that happens, Canada could play for a draw when the teams meet in Vancouver on matchday three.
Brazil Round of 16 Stage of Elimination (+350 at BetRivers)
This Brazil team is considerably weaker than most squads the Little Canary send to major tournaments. Vinicius, Raphinha, and Rodrygo still give them a dangerous attack, but this isn’t a group that can consistently outclass the top teams.
There’s a real chance Brazil could face the Netherlands in the first knockout round, which makes even reaching the Round of 16 far from guaranteed.
If Brazil does in fact win the group, the path doesn’t get much easier. France or Germany could be waiting, depending on how the groups play out, with Norway or Senegal also possible.
Switzerland Quarter-Finals Stage of Elimination (+700 at Bet365)
Switzerland should be in a strong position to win Group B ahead of Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Qatar. That would likely set up a manageable Round of 32 matchup against a third-place team, followed by the winner of Group K in the Round of 16.
That likely means Portugal or Colombia. Both are beatable in a one-off match.
Switzerland’s consistency in reaching the knockout stage of major tournaments matters here. Portugal were far from dominant in qualifying, and Colombia wouldn’t necessarily be favored in this matchup.
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