The Ultimate Guide to World Cup 2026 Betting

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is getting closer everyday. Excitement is at an all-time high and fans from around the world are starting to predict which team is going to win and who’s going to top the scoring charts. So, here are Fresh Bookies, we’ll be sharing our expert analysis to help guide you through all of the odds and predictions during this global festival of football. We’ve crafted everything for Indian sports bettors who want reliable and professional betting advice. So, if you want to be a step ahead, stick with us. Let’s jump right in!

Freshest Bonus for December 2024

Top Sportsbook
3 Welcome Bonuses up to ₹100,000

Your Go-To World Cup Betting Sportsbooks

Rajabets

FIFA World Cup betting sites don’t come fresher than Rajabets. Sign up to claim a 150% sports welcome bonus worth up to ₹100,000 that you can use before and during the tournament. The odds are competitive, there are hundreds of betting markets to choose from and you’ll benefit from daily deposit bonuses as well as free bets throughout the World Cup.

1XBet

Make the most out of your World Cup football predictions at 1xBet by claiming the site’s ₹33,000 welcome bonus. You can use the extra cash to build long-term acca’s for huge potential wins or go the short-term route for quickfire payouts. There are plenty of other goodies up for grabs too, including deposit matches, monthly cashback and more. It’s a great choice for World Cup betting!

Melbet

Register as a new customer at Melbet to unlock a 120% bonus worth up to ₹33,000. It’s the ideal way to start your FIFA World Cup betting journey. You can use the extra funds across the entire sportsbook for both pre-match and in-playing football betting. The layout is super easy to navigate, with odds for every game displayed on a single page. Also, be sure to check out the promotions page for more rewards and perks before and during the tournament.

Cricbaba

There are loads of ways to enjoy betting on the World Cup over at Cricbaba. As a first-time depositor, you can kick things off with a ₹25,000 welcome bonus and you’ll also receive a ₹666 free bet. On top of that, there are some great sports betting promos. The Combo Boost multiplies your winnings when you bet on three or more selections and weekly cashback helps you out with extra cash even if your bets just miss out.

Parimatch

Parimatch is a top choice for Indian sports bettors who want to bet on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Make your first deposit to claim a 150% sports welcome bonus to bag yourself up to an extra ₹20,000 to use anywhere in the sportsbook. The T&Cs are very reasonable, with wagering requirements that you can realistically clear. Plus, the introductory offer is followed by a selection of exclusive promotions, special bonuses and enhanced odds.

10Cric

Double your first deposit with a 100% welcome bonus worth up to ₹15,000 at 10CRIC. Although this bookie primarily focuses on cricket, there’s still a huge range of football betting markets to pick from before and during the FIFA World Cup. Sign up and you’ll also get to take advantage of weekly football cashback. So, even if your bet loses, you’ll still get something back.

22 Bet

With fast registration, an ₹11,000 welcome bonus and hundreds of betting markets for every game, 22Bet is a fantastic choice for football betting fans in India. You can use all of the bookies’ promotional offers either during the qualifiers or for your pre-tournament World Cup predictions to guarantee the best odds around. Other top perks include weekly reload bonuses, rebates and special bet boosters.

Paripesa

At PariPesa, all new customers will enjoy a bundle of generous rewards. Start off by claiming the 100% welcome bonus worth up to ₹10,000, which you can use across the entire sportsbook – there are thousands of World Cup bets to choose from. That’s followed up with a host of great perks such as accumulator boosts, plenty of free bets and special rewards even if your bet loses.

Sapphire Bet

Stay a step ahead by signing up at Sapphire Bet and claiming your 100% bonus worth up to ₹8,700 to guarantee the best World Cup betting odds before the finals begin. All you need to do is make your first deposit to unlock the extra cash. It’s quick, it’s simple and there are some superb betting tools that let you bet exactly the way you want to. Once you’re a member, you’ll also gain access to weekly sports cashback and regular free bets.

BetWinner

Become a World Cup winner by grabbing yourself some great offers to use on the 2026 World Cup by signing up at BetWinner. It only takes a minute to sign up and once you join, you’ll start off with a dedicated sports welcome bonus of 100% up to ₹8,000 when you first deposit. The sportsbook offers stats for every game, with great odds and hundreds of pre-match and in-play markets available. Footy fans will also enjoy weekly reload bonuses, regular cashback and a great selection of other football-related offers.

Schedule

  • Round 1: 9th – 17th October 2023
  • Round 2: 13th November – 17th June 2024
  • Round 3: 2nd September 2024 – 10th June 2025
  • AFC Play-offs: 6th October 2025 – 18th November 2025
  • FIFA World Cup finals: 11th June 2026 – 19th July 2026

 

Fresh World Cup Odds & Predictions

Successful sports betting is about more than just predicting who’s going to win. Anyone can get lucky. However, if you want to become a consistent winner, you’ll need to understand how to use World Cup betting odds and predictions to your advantage. Once you have a firm grip on the basics, you can then explore other factors, like those we’ve listed below, to help you make the right decisions when placing your bets.

What Influences World Cup Betting Odds

Players

Nations like England, France and Brazil have huge pools of talent to draw from. As these teams are made up of global superstars, they understandably have a better chance to win, which directly affects the odds that bookies offer. To increase your chances of winning, make sure to look at the line-ups before placing a bet.

Injuries

Football is a team sport but individual players often shine on the world’s biggest stage. Imagine if Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé or Lionel Messi picked up an injury. Sure, you’d still expect their teams to perform well but you might not be as convinced about them securing the win. That’s why it’s always important to check the injury list ahead of time.

Current Form

Form is a huge factor in sports. Winning increases a team’s confidence, which can help them tackle bigger challenges. Likewise, poor results can cause a dip in morale and that’s where major upsets start to happen. We highly recommend checking recent games to see how your team has been doing.

Group Stages

group

The World Cup qualifiers are underway and each country’s performance determines their odds for future games. Bookies will look at the groups to gauge how well a team is likely to do later on and set the odds accordingly. Of course, these odds will change as the tournament progresses but analysing the group stages is a great place to start.

Weather

With Canada, Mexico and the USA co-hosting World Cup 2026, we can expect to see all sorts of different conditions. Remember, some players are used to playing in warmer climates while others often face high winds and heavy rain. Unfamiliar weather might not only affect individual player performances but it can also hinder a team’s preferred style of play. So, it’s something to consider when placing a bet.

2026 FIFA World Cup - Our Verdict

An Indian sports fan, in his late 20s, with medium skin tone and short black hair, sitting at a desk in his home office. He is wearing a football jers

The FIFA World Cup isn’t just any other tournament. It’s a global celebration of football that unites billions of fans from around the world. Now, with the qualifiers drawing nearer to a finish, everyone’s watching closely to see which teams will make it and which will just miss out.

Even before the first game of the finals kicks off though, people are guessing the top goalscorer, the surprise underdog and the eventual winner. It’s a lot to take in and, believe us, we’ve also got our fair share of predictions. One thing’s for sure though, and that’s our promise to you. Here, at Fresh Bookies, we’ll always have trustworthy, up-to-date sports and betting information for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. So, if you’re looking to place a bet and become the next big winner, join us and let’s explore the thrilling world of football betting together!

FIFA World Cup Betting FAQs

The 2026 FIFA World Cup finals start on Thursday the 11th of June 2026. The tournament will take place over five weeks, with the final to be played on Sunday the 19th of July 2026.

To bet on FIFA World Cup matches, you’ll first need to sign up at any of India’s best online bookies. We highly recommend choosing Rajabets or Parimatch for their dedicated sports betting welcome bonuses, huge range of betting markets and competitive odds. 

India lie second in Group A during the AFC qualifying stages after four games. To progress to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they will need to finish in the top two in both the second and third qualifying rounds. 

With most online bookies, France is the early favourite to win the FIFA World Cup. Brazil and England are the two main teams tipped to challenge for the title, with Argentina, last tournament’s winners, among the other key rivals.

With five victories in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002, Brazil is the most decorated team in FIFA World Cup history. Germany and Italy follow closely with four wins each and Argentina are now on three after their recent success in 2020. Other winners include France, Uruguay, England and Spain.

Argentina won the 1978 FIFA World Cup, defeating the Netherlands 3-1 after extra time. This was the team’s first time winning the tournament, with goals from Mario Kempes and Ricardo Bertoni sealing the nation’s victory on home soil.

The odds for Brazil winning the 2026 World Cup slightly vary from one bookie to another. Prices currently range between 11/2 and 7/1. However, as the tournament gets closer, the odds are likely to change. So, if you want to guarantee the best possible odds, we recommend placing your bets early.

Lionel Messi is the only player in FIFA World Cup history to have won the Golden Ball twice. He first won it in 2014 and then again in 2022 after Argentina won their third World Cup trophy. The Golden Ball is awarded to the tournament’s best player, with the winner being selected from a shortlist drawn up by the FIFA technical committee, as voted by media representatives.