The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by three countries and held in 16 cities across North America. Most tournament events will take part in the United States, while Canada and Mexico will also host their fair share of games. The USA haven't hosted the World Cup since 1994, while Mexico had the chance to do it in 1970 and 1986, and Canada will have its first opportunity to host the event.
After the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the competition will be returning to the traditional summer schedule. This will be the 23rd edition of the tournament, and it will take place from 11 June to 19 July, 2026. The initial stage will include 48 teams, unlike previous editions with only 32 competing nations. Argentina are coming into the competition as defending champions and rightfully have excellent World Cup 2026 odds of winning another trophy.
World Cup History
Most fans consider the World Cup the most prestigious football competition globally. The event from 2022 is estimated to have had a viewership of 5 billion, which speaks plenty about its popularity worldwide. The tournament is held every four years, starting in 1930, with only two exceptions since.
Despite having 22 tournaments held and 80 competing nations throughout its history, the World Cup has only had eight nations crowned as champions. Brazil has been the most dominant national team with five titles, while Germany and Italy are close behind with four.
Argentina added to their total recently and now have three titles. Uruguay and France managed to win two trophies each, while England and Spain are the remaining two nations with one championship. Naturally, these eight teams have the best odds of winning the upcoming tournament.
World Cup Structure
To take part in the World Cup, teams have to make it through the qualifying stages in their respective continental zones. Teams are separated into zones consisting of Africa, Asia, North and Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Oceania, and Europe, and FIFA determines the number of slots a zone will receive before each competition.
The qualifying stages span over longer periods, allowing plenty of chances for football betting. However, the start of the main competition is when the real fun begins.
The World Cup has announced a change in format for the upcoming 2026 tournament. In the opening phase of previous competitions, 32 teams took part. Now, 48 teams will square off in 12 groups across North America, all competing with the same goal.
The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-placed teams will proceed to the next stage, consisting of 32 nations. The change in format will increase the length of the tournament and provide extra games for World Cup 2026 betting. This is when the knockout stages begin, proceeding all the way to the final, which will be held on 19 July.
World Cup Betting Markets
As a premier football tournament, the World Cup comes with betting opportunities similar to Europa League odds and other high-level competitions. These are the most popular markets featured among World Cup 2026 odds:
- Match Winner
- Handicap Winner
- Over/Under on Goals
- Both Teams to Score
- Player to Score
- Tournament Winner
World Cup Betting Tips
Each tournament comes with many surprises, so no World Cup 2026 betting tips can guarantee success when predicting the games in the upcoming competition. Still, there are a few details worth remembering:
- It's important to get to know the teams, players, and their current forms.
- Alternative markets may present opportunities when a player starts catching fire.
- The World Cup lasts over a month, so those who wish to stay active throughout the entire tournament need to be patient with their bets.
Why Bet on the World Cup at NordicBet?
Betting with NordicBet comes with many opportunities, including various markets and highly competitive odds. The site features all the leading football competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and Champions League odds. And, if any issues arise on the site, live support is available to handle them.