2026 international football tournament betting odds, fixtures and knockout round markets

At Stake, we offer betting markets for the world’s biggest international soccer tournament, featuring the world’s best players competing for international glory with their national teams. Held every four years, this tournament has a rich history that began in 1930. Organised by FIFA, the major football event sees national teams from around the world fight for a place by competing in regional qualifiers.

It's all at Stake this summer as the knockout stages for the biggest quadrennial international football tournament get underway. All matches are available to bet on here at Stake Sportsbook. Get the latest soccer odds on this event, with a huge range of markets to choose from.

When and where the 2026 international football tournament takes place

The international football tournament took place between 11 June and 19 July 2026. Here are the key dates to be aware of when betting on the competition:

• 11–27 June: Group Stage

• 28 June–3 July: Round of 32

• 4–7 July: Round of 16

• 9–11 July: Quarter-finals

• 14–15 July: Semi-finals

• 18 July: Third-place match

• 19 July: Final

This summer, the tournament returns to the USA for the first time since 1994. It’s jointly hosted by Canada and Mexico, with matches held at 16 venues in 16 host cities across the continent. These host cities and stadiums are:

• Dallas, Texas - AT&T Stadium

• Mexico City, Mexico - Estadio Azteca

• East Rutherford, New Jersey - MetLife Stadium

• Atlanta, Georgia - Mercedes-Benz Stadium

• Kansas City, Missouri - Arrowhead Stadium

• Houston, Texas - NRG Stadium

• Santa Clara, California - Levi’s Stadium

• Los Angeles, California - SoFi Stadium

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - Lincoln Financial Field

• Seattle, Washington - Lumen Field

• Boston, Massachusetts - Gillette Stadium

• Miami, Florida - Hard Rock Stadium

• Vancouver, Canada - BC Place

• Monterrey, Mexico - Estadio BBVA

• Guadalajara, Mexico - Estadio Akron

• Toronto, Canada - BMO Field

The final of the 2026 tournament takes place at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, US.

How the new 48-team format works

48 teams are split between 12 groups of 4. Teams face each of their group opponents once, and the top 2 teams qualify for the first round of the knockout stages. Joining them will be the 8 best third-place teams.

From 32 to 48 teams: groups, the Round of 32, and what changed

While the format has been expanded, the group stage remains more or less the same. Teams will still be drawn randomly into groups of 4, but now there are 12 groups rather than 8.

The expanded format means that teams will now play up to 8 matches over the course of the tournament, with a new round added to the knockout stage. The round of 32 will now be the first knockout stage following the groups.

How the expanded format affects betting strategy

The new format with a greater number of teams means that there will probably be fewer shock results during the first stage. Higher-ranked teams will have a greater chance of progressing, especially as the 8 best third-placed teams will now advance to the knockout stage.

The expanded format also means more lower-ranked teams are taking part. This could result in higher-scoring games when lower-ranked teams face a stronger team. This means there are opportunities for betting on the over line for total goals in these matches.

Outright winner odds and tournament futures markets

Since the start of the tournament, the odds haven’t shifted too much, with the top teams showing everyone why they’re the favourites. France, Spain and England have looked impressive so far in the group stage. However, the odds on Argentina have shortened, with Lionel Messi’s performances showing that he could carry his country to another tournament win.

One team that has significantly improved in its odds is the joint host USA. They’ve looked impressive during the group stage, comfortably winning their opening games. After starting the tournament as outsiders, the USA team now has a higher implied probability than teams like Belgium, Morocco and Mexico.

How the 2026 knockout format works and what it means for soccer betting

The knockout rounds of the tournament get underway on 28 June. As in previous international tournaments, there are no draws. Extra time and penalties are used to decide matches if the scores are level after 90 minutes. Losing teams go home, and the best team progresses to the next stage. However, this will be the first time the round of 32 is introduced, which means more matches and more betting opportunities.

Why the round of 32 is new and how it changes the bracket

The new 48-team format features more teams than ever before, and more chances to qualify for the knockout stage. Rather than using the standard last 16, the knockout round now starts with a last 32, doubling the number of teams involved.

In each group, teams are ranked by points from winning or drawing matches. If teams are level on points, head-to-head record, and then goal difference, are used to separate them. The 2 top teams from each group progress to the knockout stage automatically. However, the 8 3rd-place teams with the most points will also qualify. If points between 3rd-place teams are tied, goal difference is used to separate them. If teams are still level, goals scored, conduct score and FIFA ranking are used in order to separate them.

In the bracket, 8 group winners play the 3rd-place teams, while 4 group winners face group runners-up. The remaining 8 group runners-up all face each other.

How the bracket path to the final is structured

The 16 Round of 32 ties feed a single-elimination bracket that splits into two halves. The top half decides one finalist through Semi-final Match 101, and the bottom half decides the other through Semi-final Match 102. Here's how each tie progresses through the rounds.

Top half of the draw - route to Semi-final 1 (Match 101)

Quarter-final (Match 97) is fed by:

• Round of 16, Match 89: winner of Germany vs Paraguay plays winner of France vs Sweden

• Round of 16, Match 90: winner of South Africa vs Canada plays winner of Netherlands vs Morocco

Quarter-final (Match 98) is fed by:

• Round of 16, Match 93: winner of Portugal vs Croatia plays winner of Spain vs Austria

• Round of 16, Match 94: winner of USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina plays winner of Belgium vs Senegal

The winners of Match 97 and Match 98 meet in Semi-final Match 101.

Bottom half of the draw - route to Semi-final 2 (Match 102)

Quarter-final (Match 99) is fed by:

• Round of 16, Match 91: winner of Brazil vs Japan plays winner of Ivory Coast vs Norway

• Round of 16, Match 92: winner of Mexico vs Ecuador plays winner of England vs Congo DR

Quarter-final (Match 100) is fed by:

• Round of 16, Match 95: winner of Argentina vs Cape Verde plays winner of Australia vs Egypt

• Round of 16, Match 96: winner of Switzerland vs Algeria plays winner of Colombia vs Ghana

The winners of Match 99 and Match 100 meet in Semi-final Match 102.

The final and third-place match

• Final: winner of Semi-final Match 101 plays winner of Semi-final Match 102

• Third-place match: loser of Match 101 plays loser of Match 102

The bracket influences a team’s chances to win, as in some cases, heavy favourites might get paired against each other early on in the knockout rounds. For example, Germany and France can meet in the Round of 16. In addition, Argentina and England have a chance to meet in the quarterfinals. Consider the bracket when making your football betting picks, and look out for value, as some teams will have significantly easier paths to the final than others.

How extra time and penalty shootouts affect knockout betting markets

During the knockout stages, matches that end in a draw after 90 minutes are settled by extra time. Extra time is 30 additional minutes, which is divided into 2 halves of 15 minutes. If scores are still level after the full 120 minutes, the match goes to a penalty shootout.

You can still bet on the 1x2 market for knockout matches. It will only apply to the result after regulation time. So for example, if you bet on Spain to win against the United States, they’ll need to do so within 90 minutes plus additional time. If the match ends in a draw but Spain win in extra time or penalties, your bet still loses.

The “to advance” market covers all outcomes in knockout matches, letting you simply pick which team you think will advance to the next round. For example, you can bet on England to advance, and regardless of whether they win in regulation time, extra time or penalties, you’ll win your bet as long as they reach the last 16.

It’s also possible to bet on how you think a team will advance in a knockout match. For example, you can bet on Japan to win their last 32 match against Brazil on penalties.

How to bet on the 2026 international football tournament at Stake

Before you start betting on 2026 international football at Stake, we recommend reading our soccer betting guide. You can learn how to place bets and find more details on markets such as:

• 1x2 (Match winner) - This is a prediction of the final match outcome. You can be on either side or a draw. Bear in mind that for knockout matches, games will go to extra time and penalties following a draw.

• Both teams to score - Simply bet on whether or not you think both teams will score a goal during the match.

• Asian handicap - Handicaps place a goal handicap or advantage on one of the teams. For example, you can bet on France -1.5 if you think France will win the match by 2 goals or more. Bet on Japan +1.5 will need to avoid losing by 2 goals for your bet to win.

• Player props - Player props let you bet on stats for specific players. For example, you can bet that Lionel Messi, who’s currently leading the race for the Golden Boot, will be the first goal scorer.

• Novelty markets - You can place bets on specials that cover everything else that may happen at the event. From whether the president attends the event to the brand of the winner's jersey, anything goes here!

Follow these steps to place your first bet on the tournament:

1. Log in to your account and check your available balance in your wallet.

2. If you need to, you can make a deposit using local currency and any of the supported payment methods.

3. Search for the tournament or any of the teams taking part, or use the menu to look for Soccer > International, then navigate to the tournament.

4. Select any of the upcoming matches or live games, then check the available markets and soccer odds.

5. Choose a bet, then enter your stake in the bet slip, check your potential payout and confirm to place it.

6. Contact the customer support team if you have any issues.

How to live stream football matches and bet in-play at Stake

While streaming is only available on qualifying games in this tournament, you can still get live odds and live stats on all matches during the finals, and there are plenty of other soccer tournament live streams available at Stake.

Make sure you check out the live odds when the matches are taking place. Pre-match and live markets are available on all soccer/football games at Stake.

2026 international football tournament promotions at Stake

While betting on soccer at Stake, including international football tournaments, always make the most of the sports betting promotions available. These not only make betting more fun, but they also mean you can get more value from your bets.

Aside from regular promotions, you’ll also be able to level up your account and unlock rewards if you join the VIP Club. The more you bet, the bigger the bonuses, which include reloads and rakeback. You can even get your own personal VIP host. The VIP FAQ page has all the details on these rewards and how to claim them.