World Cup 2026 Quarterfinals: Odds & Predictions

As of this writing six of the eight countries for World Cup Quarterfinals 2026 have been confirmed with some of the biggest soccer playing teams on the globe looking to take the next step toward the championship match. Soccer betting odds favorites to win the tournament, France and Spain earned their way to the Quarterfinals by recording identical 1-0 wins in the Round of 16. France is listed at -174 against Morocco on Thursday, Spain is -170 vs. Belgium on Friday, while England is -225 vs. Norway on Saturday.

Simply due to the presence of Erling Haaland Norway was predicted to make some noise in the World Cup. They haven’t disappointed reaching the Quarterfinals for the first time with a historic upset of Brazil behind a brace from Haaland. Scoring for the seventh time in four matches, Haaland moved into a tie with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi for the tournament goal scoring lead.

What to Expect From the World Cup Quarterfinals 2026

As the field narrows to the final eight, the Quarterfinal stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature intense, high-stakes matchups between the best international soccer clubs along with top individual players. By this point in the tournament the pretenders have been weeded out leaving only the genuine title contenders.

In the history of the World Cup only eight countries have emerged as winner with six of those victorious on multiple occasions. The previous two World Cup champions are still alive with France reaching the Quarterfinals and Argentina a win away from doing the same.

Why the Quarterfinals Often Produce Tournament-Defining Moments

• This is the exact spot where tournament-defining moments are produced with tactical caution intersecting with desperation.
• Players and coaches face extreme physiological and mental fatigue with the weight of a country riding on their outcome.
• Survival instinct kicks in for losing teams forced to abandon defensive structure.
• At this stage of the tournament the best soccer clubs in the world collide leaving no room for error.

How the Expanded 2026 Format Shapes the Final Eight

• Expanding the field for the FIFA World Cup 2026 required an additional knockout stage round meaning teams that reached the Quarterfinals will have played one more match than in previous tournaments.
• Teams with deeper rosters will be rewarded for navigating the physical demands of an extra knockout stage match.
• The increased volume means players entering the Quarterfinals face the physical demands of playing more games in a shorter window.

World Cup Quarterfinal Teams: Who Reached the Last Eight?

Six teams have qualified for the Quarterfinal Round with three matches and dates confirmed. France reached the final eight beating Paraguay 1-0 behind Kylian Mbappe’s 19th career World Cup goal. Entering as the heavy World Cup betting favorite to win the tournament, France plays Morocco in a rematch of their 2022 World Cup semifinal clash.

Belgium extinguished the hopes of the United States with a clinical 4-1 victory in the Round of 16 and will face Spain in a quarterfinal tilt. The Spaniards have been impenetrable not conceding a goal in the tournament after bouncing Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo 1-0.

Norway shocked most soccer fans by beating five-time World Cup champion Brazil, 2-1, in the previous round. Driven by the heroics of Erling Haaland, who has scored seven goals in four matches, Norway has another difficult task of taking out England. The best players on the England roster stepped up in a tense 3-2 decision over Mexico. Jude Bellingham scored twice and Harry Kane once propelling England to a third straight quarterfinal appearance.

Surprise Contenders Still in the Hunt

• Norway and Morocco are the surprise teams that have already punched their ticket to the quarterfinals.
• Norway reached the quarterfinals for the first time in history beating powerhouse Brazil in the Round of 16.
• Their trip to the semifinals in the 2022 World Cup was seen as an outlier, but Morocco is back in the quarterfinals following a comfortable 3-0 win over Canada.

Traditional Powerhouses Chasing the Trophy

• Spain entered World Cup 2026 as the betting favorite and remains as one of the top choices.
• They slipped behind France on the futures odds board and have been laser-focused not allowing a goal.
• France has been dominant, outscoring opponents 14-2.
• England is also among the favorites to win the World Cup for the first time since 1966. Their win in Mexico City while surviving being down a player was one of England’s best.

Breaking Down the World Cup Quarterfinal Matchups

Three quarterfinal matches have been confirmed as of this writing with the first between France and Morocco taking place on Thursday, July 9 at 4 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro. France opened as the soccer betting favorite at -174 with Morocco priced at +573. A draw on the 3-way moneyline is +290 with the total at 2.5 goals.

On Friday, July 10, Spain and Belgium tangle at 3 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Southern California. Spain is the only team that has not conceded a goal advancing with five clean sheets. Belgium advanced with a 4-1 win over the United States producing 12 goals in its last three matches. Spain is -170 with Belgium at +470 and a draw +300 on the 3-way moneyline. Spain is also -380 to advance to the next round.

The third confirmed quarterfinal match is set for Saturday, July 11 at 5 p.m. ET with Norway facing England at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Led by a brace from Erling Haaland, Norway upset Brazil and will go as far as Haaland takes them. England is the favorite to advance at -225 with Norway at +178.

The final quarterfinal matchup will be between the winners of Argentina and Egypt, and Switzerland and Colombia.

Most Competitive Quarterfinal Pairings

• Based on betting volume and implicit odds the matchup between Norway and England is tracking as the most competitive of the confirmed World Cup quarterfinal matchups.
• Both clubs are coming off momentum-building wins with England the slight favorite with a 52 percent win probability.
• Elite strikers Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are in peak form making this match tight and intriguing.

Matchups That Could Define the Tournament

• The top three favorites on the World Cup championship futures odds – France, Spain and England – are competing with any of them changing the direction of the tournament with a loss.
• Morocco beating France breaks the bracket open with the overall favorite eliminated.

World Cup Quarterfinal Odds: How the Betting Markets Compare

France is the consensus favorite across sportsbooks and prediction markets to win the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a roughly 33 percent implied probability. That also means France is the biggest betting odds favorite of the confirmed Quarterfinal Round matchups. France is -174 on the 3-way moneyline and -400 to advance.

The 3-way moneyline odds are based on the outcome after 90 minutes plus stoppage with a draw a potential result. The longer odds for France to advance is the result of the match after extra time and, if needed, a penalty shootout.

Spain (-160) is also heavily favored to beat Belgium (+470) with a draw at +300 on the 3-way moneyline. Spain is -325 to advance with Belgium at +270 for the upset.

The tightest predicted match has England (-116) favored to beat Norway (+325) with a draw at +273 on the 3-way moneyline. England is priced at -212 and Norway at +181 in the To Advance market.

Favorites to Advance to the Semifinals

• We covered pricing above and the current soccer odds are available.
• France is the biggest favorite on the board to advance to the semifinals with Spain also heavily favored to defeat Belgium.
• Should Argentina advance to the Quarterfinal Round they will also be heavily favored over Switzerland or Colombia.

Underdogs Offering Betting Value

• Targeted as a dark horse contender before the World Cup, Norway continues to impress while offering plenty of value.
• Norway has shot up the odds board and is around +1600 in the championship futures odds market.
• The best striker in the sport Erling Haaland can carry his squad past the powerhouses in tight tournament matches.

World Cup Quarterfinal Predictions and Best Betting Angles

With the best teams surviving the matches tend to get tighter and more intense as the tournament progresses. Five of the top eight FIFA ranked teams in the world are competing in the quarterfinals with France and Spain big favorites to advance to the semifinals in their matches.

France boasts a deep roster outscoring opponents 14-2 with Mbappe leading the way. Their lethal frontline can break down Morocco’s stiff low block while possessing the ball prevents the Moroccans from quick counter attacks. France’s strong midfield play gives them a tactical advantage with our World Cup Quarterfinals predictions giving them a win in regulation time.

England is favored but Norway poses a massive threat against a vulnerable defense. This is predicted to be the most entertaining quarterfinal match after frantic wins in the previous round. Norway upset Brazil getting a brace from Haaland and England won in a hostile environment over Mexico. Both clubs should find the back of the net making the Both Teams to Score wager a safe World Cup Quarterfinals prediction.

Prime is offering Same Game Parlays for soccer that gives bettors the option of combining multiple from one game into a single wager. The choices could include match result, totals, player props, and more.

Historical Quarterfinal Trends Worth Tracking

• As the tournament winds down to the final eight teams, more cautious play overrides aggression that we saw at times during group play.
• Even with the most talented goal scorers in the game we tend to see a decrease in the overall number of markers and an increase in one-goal margins.
• Around 80 percent of all historical quarterfinal matches are decided by a single goal or go to a penalty kick shootout.

Markets Beyond the Match Winner

• The players who score goals in the quarterfinals are the ones that get paid to do it.
• With the best strikers in the world on display in the quarterfinals of the World Cup 2026 targeting player props is a strong move.
• Not only have Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Lionel Messi scored goals, they’ve done it at a blinding pace.
• You can back any one of these guys for an anytime goal and have an outstanding chance of cashing a winning ticket.

World Cup Quarterfinal Dates and Road to the Semifinals

While most of the teams are locked in, the World Cup Quarterfinal dates are all confirmed. The final eight starts on Thursday, July 9 and concludes with a pair of matches on Saturday July 11. The winners of the first two matches will meet in one semifinal on Tuesday, July 14 at AT&T Stadium. Saturday’s winners face off in the second semifinal on Wednesday, July 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.