It’s a special fall/winter edition of the World Cup, as the 2022 version will begin on November 20 while running through December 18 (view all World Cup dates). Even though there are several high-octane teams to watch out for, it’s important to remember that anything can happen in this tournament setting. We’ll keep that in mind while making our World Cup 2022 predictions below.
World Cup 2022 Predictions
The following World Cup 2022 predictions were made on November 7. These World Cup odds for the tournament winners and group stages may have shifted since originally publishing this article.
Top Pick: England To Win World Cup (+800)
When the World Cup 2022 odds hit the books this summer, England was tied for second (with France) at +550. However, things have happened since then. No, they are not good things. England’s form has been called into question after getting relegated from the top tier of the UEFA Nations League.
Because of that, England’s odds to win the World Cup have sailed to +800. Despite that uncertainty, I’m taking England to win the World Cup, and getting +800 odds represents strong value in my opinion.
We know this squad has the talent to win it all. They have been on the cusp of major breakthroughs, falling one game short of the World Cup Final in 2018 (losing in extra time vs. Croatia) and finishing runner-up in the Euro 2020 Final (lost on penalties vs. Italy). Some view this as proof that the English cannot win the big game, but this team has battle scars and motivation to compete.
How about we get back to the talent discussion? England has it in spades, as their players are cumulatively valued at 1.29 billion euros. That’s the most of any World Cup squad, meaning the sky is the limit if the “Three Lions” hit their stride.
It helps that England has landed in an extremely winnable group with the United States, Wales, and Iran. Perhaps Gareth Southgate’s crew will use those matches as a tune-up to find its form.
Where to bet: England to win World Cup | +800 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Sleeper Pick: Belgium To Win World Cup (+1700)
If you recall, Belgium was one win away from the 2018 World Cup Final as well. They fell 1-0 to France (the eventual winner) before outlasting England 2-0 to take home the bronze.
Armed with plenty of talented, including sensational midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium finds itself second overall in the FIFA World Cup Rankings heading into this event. Of course, there’s not a direct correlation between FIFA rankings and the odds to win the World Cup, but Belgium is perfectly capable of making a legitimate run at the trophy.
- Related: Check out our World Cup Odds article to view the FIFA rankings, odds, and squad value side by side.
It helps that Belgium stands as the main feature of Group F alongside Croatia, Morocco, and Canada. There’s a chance Croatia makes a run at the top of the group (more on that later), but Belgium and company are in a great position to advance regardless.
Where to bet: Belgium to win World Cup | +1700 at DraftKings Sportsbook
Group Stage Predictions
Group B Qualifying Order: England 1st/USA 2nd (+150)
If you are going to bet on the United States to advance out of Group B, then this is the best way to do it. For perspective, let’s look at other betting alternatives:
- USA to qualify for next round (+100)
- England & USA to qualify to next round (-110)
We already established that England is quite possibly the most talented squad in the World Cup, and they are lightyears ahead of every other team in this group. In other words, there’s a very good chance England finishes first in this group. That leaves second place up for grabs between USA, Wales, and Iran. The opening match between USMNT and Wales will go a long way in determining who advances.
This is simply a value play, as we are getting a +150 payout for England to finish first and the United States to finish second. That’s a better reward without hardly any more risk (in my opinion) than taking the United States to quality (+100) or England and USA to both qualify (-110).
Sometimes betting is about finding the angle with the best number. Now, hopefully, this young USA squad can back it up on the pitch.
Where to bet: England 1st/USA 2nd in Group B | +150 at BetMGM
Group D Qualifiers: France & Denmark (-275)
This is an obvious bet, and the -275 odds suggest that’s the case. However, I still believe it’s a worthy bet, even if we are laying hefty juice. Let’s consider the Group D participants:
- France
- Denmark
- Tunisia
- Australia
France stands in as one of the favorites to win the 2022 World Cup. Denmark ranks 10th in both the FIFA rankings and odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. The FIFA rankings have Tunisia at 30th and Australia at 38th.
I’m having a difficult time seeing either Tunisia or Australia knocking off one of the big boys to secure a place in the knockout stage.
Where to bet: France & Denmark advance | -275 at BetMGM
Group F Qualifiers: Belgium & Croatia (-165)
The last of these 2022 World Cup predictions follow the rationale of the previous pick. Group F is top-heavy as well, so let’s look at the squads to see why:
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Morocco
- Canada
As mentioned earlier, Belgium is 2nd in the FIFA rankings while Croatia (the 2018 World Cup runner-up) is 12th. Morocco is the next challenger while ranking 22nd, and Canada steps in at 41.
Can Morocco pull off an upset or two and advance? We are betting against that, and therein lies the risk. Croatia had an excellent run to the 2018 World Cup Finals, but the key players in that run have aged out of their prime. Still, I believe Croatia will merge the old and new with enough talent to get out of the group stage.
Where to bet: Belgium & Croatia advance | -165 at BetMGM
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