The FIFA World Cup is the single biggest sporting event in the world. It takes place every four years, and the national pride at stake, along with the global audience watching, exceeds even the Olympic Games. It’s also one of the most heavily bet events on the sports calendar.

On this page we explain how the World Cup works, recent results and upcoming tournaments, where you can legally bet on it, and how the most popular World Cup bets work.

How The World Cup Works

The final tournament runs for about a month, usually in June and July. Starting with the 2026 tournament, the World Cup expanded from 32 to 48 teams. The 48 teams are split into 12 groups of four, and the top two teams in each group, plus the eight best third-placed teams, advance to a 32-team knockout stage. From there, a team must win five straight knockout matches to be crowned champion.

Qualifying for the final tournament takes place over the two to three years beforehand, with each continental confederation running its own qualifying competition. Host nations typically qualify automatically.

Recent World Cup Winners

  • 2026: Spain, who beat Argentina 1-0 in extra time in the final in New Jersey. Spain became the first country to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles at the same time.
  • 2022: Argentina, who beat France on penalties in Qatar.
  • 2018: France, in Russia.
  • 2014: Germany, in Brazil.
  • 2010: Spain, in South Africa.

Upcoming World Cups

  • 2027 Women’s World Cup: Brazil.
  • 2030 World Cup: Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with three opening matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the tournament’s 100th anniversary.
  • 2034 World Cup: Saudi Arabia.

Futures odds on the next World Cup winner are usually available years in advance and shift as qualifying plays out.

Where Can You Bet On The World Cup?

United States: Sports betting is legal in some form in 39 states plus Washington DC, and around 30 states offer regulated online betting. To use a licensed sportsbook you must be physically located in a state where it’s licensed, and most states require you to be 21. In states without legal sports betting, prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket offer contracts on major soccer tournaments under federal CFTC oversight, though their legal status is being challenged in several states. Our USA sports betting section covers the rules in more detail.

Canada: Single-game sports betting has been legal since 2021. Ontario and Alberta have regulated markets open to private sportsbooks, while other provinces offer betting through their provincial lottery corporation’s website.

Offshore sportsbooks: Offshore sites licensed outside the US and Canada accept bettors from many places where local options are limited, but players who use them have no local regulator to turn to if there’s a dispute over a bet or a withdrawal.

We also have state guides for betting on the World Cup from California and betting on the World Cup from Texas.

Types of World Cup Bets

Match Bets

  • 1×2 (Three-Way Money Line): A bet on the result of the match: a win for either team or a draw.
  • Asian Handicap (Spread): The oddsmaker gives one team a goal handicap, which removes the draw and leaves two possible outcomes.
  • Total Goals (Over/Under): A bet on whether the combined goals will be over or under a set number.
  • Other markets: Draw No Bet, both teams to score, correct score, and player props such as anytime goalscorer.

Most match bets are settled on the result after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. That means a draw is still a possible outcome for betting purposes in the knockout rounds, even though extra time and penalties decide which team advances. You can learn more about these bets on our soccer betting page.

Futures Bets

Futures bets cover the tournament as a whole. The most popular is picking the World Cup winner, but you can also bet on group winners, which teams will advance from the group stage, how far each team will go, which confederation the winner will come from, and the Golden Boot for the top goalscorer. Here were the odds to win the 2026 World Cup on the tournament’s opening day (odds from June 11th, 2026):

2026 World Cup winner odds from the opening day of the tournament.

Spain entered the tournament as a slight favorite and went on to win it. Because futures odds move with every qualifier, injury and result, the price you get depends heavily on when you place the bet.

World Cup Betting Tips

  • Watch the final group games. With eight third-placed teams advancing in the 48-team format, many teams go into their last group match knowing a draw is enough, which can affect how they play.
  • Check the settlement rules. Before betting on a knockout match, confirm whether the bet is settled after 90 minutes or includes extra time and penalties, since sportsbooks offer both.

For more on the World Cup’s structure and history, check out the FIFA World Cup Wikipedia page, or visit FIFA.com for the latest news on qualifying.