2026 World Cup — Schedule, Groups, Favorites & How to Bet with 1xBet

The 2026 World Cup: A Historic Format

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be the largest football tournament ever staged. For the first time in history, 48 national teams will compete for the trophy, a massive expansion from the 32-team format that has been in place since 1998. The tournament will be co-hosted by three nations — the United States, Mexico, and Canada — making it the first World Cup spread across three countries.

With 104 matches packed into 39 action-filled days, the 2026 edition promises unprecedented excitement for football fans and bettors around the globe. More games mean more drama, more upsets, and crucially, more betting opportunities than any previous World Cup.

Schedule & Calendar

Event	Date
Opening match	June 11, 2026
Group stage	June 11 – June 28, 2026
Round of 16	June 29 – July 2, 2026
Quarter-finals	July 4 – 5, 2026
Semi-finals	July 8 – 9, 2026
Third-place match	July 18, 2026
Final	July 19, 2026

The final will be held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey — a world-class venue with a capacity of 82,500 seats, located just minutes from New York City. It will be a fitting stage for the crowning of a new world champion.

New Format: 48 Teams, 12 Groups

FIFA’s revamped format changes the landscape of the World Cup dramatically:

• 12 groups of 4 teams each (up from 8 groups of 4)
• The top 2 from each group advance to the knockout round
• The 8 best third-place teams also qualify
• A total of 32 teams progress to the Round of 16

This means more group-stage matches with higher stakes, more nail-biting deciders on the final matchday, and a wider pool of markets for sharp bettors. Third-place permutations alone will create fascinating scenarios — and profitable betting angles — throughout the group stage.

Host Cities

🇺🇸 United States (11 cities)

The USA will host the bulk of the tournament across 11 iconic venues:

• New York/New Jersey — MetLife Stadium (Final venue)
• Los Angeles — SoFi Stadium
• Dallas — AT&T Stadium
• San Francisco Bay Area — Levi’s Stadium
• Miami — Hard Rock Stadium
• Atlanta — Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• Seattle — Lumen Field
• Houston — NRG Stadium
• Philadelphia — Lincoln Financial Field
• Kansas City — Arrowhead Stadium
• Boston — Gillette Stadium

🇲🇽 Mexico (3 cities)

• Mexico City — Estadio Azteca (a World Cup Final venue in 1970 and 1986)
• Guadalajara — Estadio Akron
• Monterrey — Estadio BBVA

🇨🇦 Canada (2 cities)

• Toronto — BMO Field
• Vancouver — BC Place

Favorites to Win the 2026 World Cup

Tier 1 — The Top Contenders

🇧🇷 Brazil — The five-time champions are hungry to end their trophy drought. With Vinicius Jr leading a golden generation alongside Rodrygo and Endrick, the Selecao will be among the most dangerous teams in the tournament. Estimated odds: 5.00 – 6.00

🇫🇷 France — Les Bleus remain a powerhouse. Runner-up in 2022 and boasting Kylian Mbappe as perhaps the best player on the planet, France have the squad depth and big-tournament pedigree to go all the way. Estimated odds: 5.50 – 7.00

🇦🇷 Argentina — The defending world champions from Qatar 2022 will be looking to retain the title. Even as the Messi era winds down, a talented squad led by new stars aims to prove that Argentina’s dominance was no fluke. Estimated odds: 6.00 – 8.00

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England — Perennial nearly-men, but the Three Lions have never looked stronger. Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden form a fearsome attacking trio. After reaching the Euro 2024 final, England will fancy their chances. Estimated odds: 6.00 – 8.00

Tier 2 — Serious Outsiders

🇪🇸 Spain — The Euro 2024 champions are riding a wave of momentum. Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and midfield maestro Pedri bring a perfect blend of youth and brilliance. Estimated odds: 8.00 – 10.00

🇩🇪 Germany — Die Mannschaft are always formidable in major tournaments. Never write off four-time world champions with a tradition of peaking when it matters most. Estimated odds: 10.00 – 12.00

🇵🇹 Portugal — The post-Ronaldo era features exceptional talent like Bernardo Silva and Joao Felix. Portugal’s depth across the pitch makes them a dark horse capable of a deep run. Estimated odds: 12.00 – 15.00

Tier 3 — Potential Dark Horses

🇸🇳 Senegal, 🇳🇬 Nigeria, 🇲🇦 Morocco — African football is on the rise. Morocco stunned the world by reaching the semi-finals in 2022, and Senegal are reigning African champions. With 9 African slots in the expanded format, the continent will have its strongest-ever representation.

🇺🇸 United States — Never underestimate home advantage. Playing in front of passionate crowds across 11 cities, the USMNT could ride a wave of support deep into the knockout rounds.

African Teams to Watch

Africa will have a historic 9 qualification slots for 2026, up from just 5 in 2022. This expanded representation gives the continent a real chance to produce a quarter-finalist or even a semi-finalist.

Team	Key Strengths	Star Players
🇸🇳 Senegal	AFCON champions, solid collective play	Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr
🇳🇬 Nigeria	Super Eagles, explosive attack	Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman
🇲🇦 Morocco	2022 semi-finalists, defensive solidity	Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat
🇨🇲 Cameroon	Indomitable Lions, World Cup experience	Choupo-Moting
🇨🇮 Ivory Coast	AFCON 2024 champions, youthful energy	Sebastien Haller, Franck Kessie
🇩🇿 Algeria	Desert Foxes, strong team cohesion	Riyad Mahrez, Ismael Bennacer

With more slots and a new generation of world-class African talent, the 2026 World Cup could be the tournament where an African nation finally breaks through to the final.

How to Bet on the 2026 World Cup with 1xBet

Step 1: Create Your 1xBet Account

Download the 1xBet app (APK for Android or iOS) and sign up in minutes. During registration, enter the promo code 1x_4661894 to activate a welcome bonus of up to 200% on your first deposit. This gives you extra funds to bet with right from the start.

Step 2: Deposit Using Your Preferred Local Method

1xBet supports over 200 payment methods, so you can deposit however is most convenient for you:

• Africa: Orange Money, Wave, M-Pesa, MTN MoMo, Airtel Money
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• International: Visa, Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, USDT, Ethereum)

Deposits are processed instantly in most cases, so you can start betting right away.

Step 3: Explore World Cup Betting Markets

1xBet offers hundreds of markets specifically for the World Cup:

• Outright Winner — Back your pick to lift the trophy. Ante-post odds are at their best right now, before the tournament begins.
• Group Winners — Predict which team will top each of the 12 groups.
• Top Scorer — Mbappe? Vinicius Jr? Haaland? Choose who will claim the Golden Boot.
• Match Bets — Full-time result, correct score, goalscorers, corners, cards, and dozens more markets per game.
• Live Betting — Place bets during matches with real-time odds that shift with every attack and goal.
• Accumulators — Combine multiple selections into one bet to multiply your potential payout.

Recommended Betting Strategies for the World Cup

1. Ante-Post Bets (Long-Term Value)

Place your outright winner bets before the tournament starts. Odds on favorites like Brazil and France are significantly better now than they will be once the World Cup is underway. Lock in value early.

2. Group Stage Analysis

Study the group draws carefully once they are announced. Look for unbalanced groups where a strong favorite faces weaker opposition — these offer reliable bets. Conversely, “Groups of Death” with multiple strong teams create opportunities for upsets at higher odds.

3. Accumulator on Favorites to Qualify

A low-risk accumulator combining favorites to advance from the group stage (not necessarily to win it) can offer solid returns. For example, combining Brazil, France, Argentina, and England all to qualify from their groups provides a reasonable payout with a high probability of success.

4. Live Betting for Unpredictable Matches

World Cup matches are emotionally charged and often unpredictable. Live betting allows you to react to what is actually happening on the pitch — a red card, an early goal, a tactical shift — and find value that pre-match odds cannot capture.

Why Choose 1xBet for the 2026 World Cup

• Best odds on the market for international football
• Live streaming — Watch matches directly in the 1xBet app
• 200+ payment methods including local solutions (Orange Money, M-Pesa, UPI, PIX, crypto)
• Welcome bonus up to 200% with promo code 1x_4661894
• Mobile app that is fast, lightweight, and works smoothly even on 3G connections
• Live betting with cash-out — Secure your profits or cut losses in real time
• 24/7 customer support in English, French, Arabic, Portuguese, and many more languages

Get Ready to Bet on the World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup promises to be the biggest, most exciting, and most unpredictable edition in history. With 48 teams, 104 matches across three countries, and a brand-new format, the opportunities for football fans and bettors alike will be endless.

Do not wait until kickoff to get ready. Create your 1xBet account today, use the promo code 1x_4661894 to claim your welcome bonus of up to 200%, and start placing your ante-post bets while the odds are still at their highest. The countdown to the greatest World Cup ever has already begun.