2026 World Cup: France and Argentina Begin Their Journey

The 2026 World Cup is underway with France and Argentina taking the field. Find the best betting offers and predictions for the tournament.

The 2026 World Cup is officially underway, with defending champions Argentina and France set to kick off their campaigns today. Both teams are expected to start strong, but they won’t underestimate their opponents, Senegal and Algeriaespecially after witnessing the struggles of Spain against Cape Verde on Monday.

For those looking to place bets on the World Cup, The Standard has compiled a list of the top betting offers, match odds, and predictions to help you navigate the tournament.

Top 10 World Cup Betting Offers for June 16

Our experts have evaluated various bookmakers based on welcome offers, ongoing promotions, mobile app quality, and market depth. Here are the top 10 betting spots for the first weekend of the tournament.

1. Betfair

New bettors at Betfair can receive £30 in free bets.

Additionally, there’s an enhanced odds offer of 50/1 on Spain or France to qualify from the group stage, with winnings paid out in free bets. Betfair also offers a 90-minute guarantee on all World Cup games, ensuring your bet is marked as a winner if it’s winning at the 90-minute mark, regardless of the final outcome.

2. Betfred

Betfred is offering new customers £50 in free bets when they sign up and bet a minimum of £10. There’s also a £5 free bet for the Spain vs. Cape Verde match and a £5 free bet builder bet for any game in week one. Additional promotions include money back on losing accumulators and unique offers like double-delight and hat-trick heaven.

3. Sky Bet

Sky Bet provides enhanced odds of 60/1 on a goal being scored in the England vs. Croatia match. Alternatively, bettors can receive a £10 free bet every time Harry Kane scores for England at the tournament. There’s also a chance to claim a share of £5 million if England wins the tournament. The Sky Bet Club offers a free bet for placing five or more World Cup wagers, and price boosts are available for every game on their mobile app.

4. Paddy Power

Paddy Power has two promotions for England supporters. Bettors can get 50/1 odds on England to beat Croatia in their opening match and 50/1 odds on England to qualify from Group L. Additionally, there’s a free bet builder bet available for every England group stage game. Paddy’s Rewards Club, enhanced odds, and Paddy’s Wonder Wheel are also part of their World Cup offerings.

5. Midnite

New customers at Midnite can get £30 in free bets. There’s also the option to claim £20 in free bets each week of the tournament via Midnite’s Bet Club. With an app Store rating of 4.7/5, Midnite offers one of the best app experiences on this list.

6. Grosvenor

Grosvenor offers a 100% profit boost for new bettors and a 25% boost token on World Cup bet builder bets. There’s also cashback available on selected matches if certain conditions are met, with bettors eligible for a free bet refund up to £25.

7. Tote

Tote‘s welcome offer is bet £10 and get £40 in free bets, although not all of the welcome bonus can be used to wager on World Cup games. Their top promotion is unique, offering money back on losing World Cup outright bets if the team you backed goes out on penalties. Tote is offering a maximum refund of £25 on those losing outright bets, and users who bet £25 on accumulator wagers can get a £5 free bet each week.

8. BetVictor

BetVictor has boosted England to 100/1 to win the tournament. Their World Cup offer is available until the end of the group stage, and if England wins, bettors will be paid out in a mix of cash and free bets. For the opening day, BetVictor has a good selection of price boosts for the opening game on both singles and multiples, and bettors can use the Lucky Dip feature to get enhanced odds on a random selection of selected World Cup markets.

9. Spreadex

Spreadex is providing a special World Cup sign-up offer which includes up to £100 in free bets. The offer features a guaranteed £30 in free bets, and bettors who wager £10 on Spreadex’s World Cup outright market will receive an extra £10 fixed-odds free bet for every game their selection wins in the tournament. Spreadex’s other selling points include 100% winnings boosts for World Cup accumulators and 2 up early payouts on all tournament games.

10. Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes offers £30 in free bets that can be wagered on the World Cup, with bettors required to wager £5 to unlock the bonus. Accumulator bettors can get their stake refunded as a free bet if one leg of their World Cup acca doesn’t win, so long as their multiple has at least five legs. There’s also a £5 free bet builder wager available daily for bettors who deposit £10 in shop using a Club Ladbrokes card and then wager £10 online.

World Cup Free Bet Offers for Today

The USA and Canada enter the World Cup today with Canada taking on Bosnia-Herzegovina in their opening match before the USA faces Paraguay.

Here are some of the top free bet offers for today’s matches:

• BetfairGet 50/1 on France to qualify for the last 32.
• BetfredBet £5 on Argentina vs. Algeriaget £5 in free bets.
• BetneroBet £5, get £5 in free bets.
• Bet365Money back on losing England vs. Croatia bet builders.
• ToteMoney back on losing World Cup bet builders.

World Cup Match Odds and Outright Odds

Bettors can find the best odds for World Cup fixtures below. The odds are live, so any changes made by bookmakers will be reflected instantly.

Below are live outright winner odds for the 2026 World Cup, which will change significantly throughout the tournament.

Stay updated with the latest World Cup news, including team updates and top stories that could impact your bets.

For those new to World Cup betting, understanding the different betting markets is crucial. Outright markets, such as tournament winner, top scorer, and Golden Ball, tend to offer the best value before the tournament starts. Match betting becomes safer once teams are actually playing and form is visible.

Bet builders and accumulators can offer significant returns but come with increased risk. It’s important to set a total tournament budget and stick to it, avoiding emotional bets on your own nation’s matches.