Joe Townsend runs through some of the matches in the final round of the group stage, picking out a few to build one double and a couple of longshot accumulators.
Football betting tips: World Cup
1pt Draws in Egypt-Iran, Japan-Sweden at 9/1 (General)
0.5pt Draws in Egypt-Iran, Paraguay-Australia, Japan-Sweden, Algeria-Austria at 50/1 (Coral, William Hill)
0.25pt Draws in Egypt-Iran, Paraguay-Australia, Japan-Sweden, Algeria-Austria & Ecuador to win at 185/1 (Coral)
Thursday, 25 June
Friday, 26 June
Saturday, 27 June
Sunday, 28 June
There is no doubt the new format introduced for the 2026 World Cup has removed a large element of jeopardy from the group stage, with teams more likely than ever to survive a shock result or two and still reach the knockouts.
What the tournament's expansion, and addition of a round of 32, has also done is create an intriguing betting opportunity heading into the final group matches.
The best eight of 12 third-placed nations will qualify for the knockout stage. In several instances, teams will meet knowing they can help one another.
PARAGUAY's Group D meeting with AUSTRALIA and ALGERIA's Group J match against AUSTRIA have already seen the price of THE DRAW crash, with plenty of shrewd punters piling into a result that would send each side into the round of 32.
They are not the only two fixtures where hypothetical handshakes could occur in the closing stages of the contest.
JAPAN and SWEDEN have a similar opportunity in Group F, although an additional factor here is Japan already have the four points that virtually guarantees a place in the round of 32.
A share of the spoils would mean they finish at worst second, and could even top the group in the unlikely scenario of already-eliminated Tunisia shocking the Netherlands.
Group G sees EGYPT and IRAN meet. Should this tie end level it would almost certainly be enough for the latter to qualify as they would finish with three points and a goal difference of zero. In all probability Egypt would clinch top spot, too.
Away from the sides potentially settling for a draw there is also one fixture where the odds available for a team to win appear to have been overestimated, with ECUADOR facing Germany in Group E.
The South American nation were well fancied pre-tournament, largely on the basis of a strong defensive record. However, a last-minute winner for Ivory Coast - in a match Ecuador dominated - and a shock goalless draw with Curacao (xG: ECU 2.84-0.50 CUR) has left them needing victory in their final match to qualify.
Luckily for them Germany have already clinched top spot, which makes there price as significant outsiders very appetising.
Odds correct 16:45 BST (22/06/26)
More World Cup content from Sporting Life
Group previews
- Group A: Mexico; South Africa; South Korea; Czechia
- Group B: Canada; Bosnia; Qatar; Switzerland
- Group C: Brazil; Morocco; Haiti; Scotland
- Group D: USA; Paraguay; Australia; Turkiye
- Group E: Germany; Curacao; Ivory Coast; Ecuador
- Group F: Netherlands; Japan; Sweden; Tunisia
- Group G: Belgium; Egypt; Iran; New Zealand
- Group H: Spain; Cape Verde; Saudi Arabia; Uruguay
- Group I: France; Senegal; Iraq; Norway
- Group J: Argentina; Algeria; Austria; Jordan
- Group K: Portugal; DR Congo; Uzbekistan; Colombia
- Group L: England; Croatia; Ghana; Panama
Outright previews
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