Favourites to Win World Cup 2022

The World Cup 2022 will kick off in Qatar on November 20. All 64 matches will take place in a four-week period, culminating in the final at the Lusail Iconic Stadium on December 18.

Thirty-two teams have qualified for the 22nd edition of the biggest sporting event on the planet. Who will come out on top in the first-ever winter World Cup? This guide looks at the favourites, the outsiders and the dark horses, as well as providing you with some important information about betting on the upcoming World Cup.

World Cup Teams

The final between France and Argentina is set, with Paris St Germain teammates, French forward Kylian Mbappé, and Argentine superstar Lionel Messi set to face off. For Messi, this is likely his last chance to win a World Cup as he seeks to add the trophy to his already impressive collection of honours, while Mbappe looks to add a second title to his record.

Below are the current odds to win according to our recommended sportsbooks:

						Chances to Win Outright
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Argentina (Finalist)	1.85	1.85	1.88	1.85	1.85	53.76%
France (Finalist)	1.85	1.85	1.83	2.04	1.85	54.25%

*Odds vary from provider to provider and are subject to change

The Netherlands have enjoyed a revival under Louis van Gaal, who is in charge of the national team for the third time. Their starting XI contains plenty of talent, but a lack of depth could be a problem.

Portugal have a hugely gifted squad, particularly in attacking areas. The issue, perhaps, is the manager Fernando Santos, whose preference for cautious tactics does not suit the players at his disposal.

Belgium finished third at World Cup 2018, but several members of their golden generation have either retired from international football or are past their best.

Denmark reached the semi-finals of last summer’s European Championship and qualified for the World Cup in style. Do not write them off.

Quarter Finals Update: In a surprising turn of events, France and Argentina are the only favourites left competing for the Cup. Morocco has stunned football fans by knocking out Belgium, Spain, and Portugal. Croatia, clearly a team that should not be underestimated, has sent the favourite team to win the tournament, Brazil, packing before the semi-finals. Will Croatia finish what they started in 2018? Will France be able to defend their title? Will Messi finally achieve his goal of winning a world cup for Argentina, or will Morocco continue their magic and take it all the way?

Semi-Finals Update: Argentina's victory over Croatia with a score of 3-0 brings them closer to fulfilling Messi's goal of winning the World Cup for his home country. They will play in the final on December 18, 2022. Argentina last made it to the final in 2014 but lost to Germany. They have not won the tournament since 1986, when Maradona led the Argentinians to victory.

World Cup 2022: Dark Horses

Team	Odds
Croatia	50.00
Uruguay	50.00
Serbia	80.00
Senegal	80.00
Switzerland	100.00

Croatia were beaten finalists at the World Cup 2018. Europe’s great overachievers could spring another surprise or two in Qatar.

Uruguay are two-time world champions and continues to punch above their weight on the international stage. La Celeste are going under the radar, but that is just how they like it.

Serbia have two proven goalscorers in Dusan Vlahovic and Aleksandar Mitrovic, plus talented players in other areas. Getting out of the group should be their only objective for now, though. 

Senegal are the African champions and that continent’s best hope of winning the World Cup for the first time. Being drawn into a favourable group has boosted their chances of a place in the knockouts.

Switzerland stunned France at the European Championship last summer, but the quarter-finals is probably the best they can hope for in Qatar.

Big World Cup 2022 Questions

essure to deliver.

Can Brazil Handle The Pressure? 

Brazil are the bookmakers’ favourite to win the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. The public back home expects the Selecao to come home with the trophy for a record-extending sixth time, so Tite and his players will be under pressure to deliver.

Tite, who has been in charge of the national team since 2016 and will step down after the World Cup, is an intelligent coach with numerous options right across the pitch. Indeed, few countries can match Brazil’s strength in depth.

A quarter-final exit four years ago was disappointing, but the Selecao have made progress since then. With Neymar in fine form, Brazil deserve their tag as World Cup favourites.

Is This Argentina’s Time Again?

If Brazil do not get the job done, the bookmakers reckon that Argentina are the likeliest winners. They actually beat their neighbours and rivals in the final of the Copa America last summer, as the Albiceleste won their first trophy at senior level since 1993.

It has been even longer since they last lifted the World Cup trophy in 1986. But with Lionel Messi playing so well for Paris Saint-Germain, Argentina has genuine hope that their time might have come again. 

The team’s Achilles heel is its defence, with the erratic Nicolas Otamendi still a regular at the age of 34. If Lionel Scaloni’s side can find a way to keep things tight at the back, Argentina will have a strong chance of victory. 

Can France Retain The Trophy?

Only two national teams have won back-to-back World Cups before Italy in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil in 1958 and 1962. More concerning for France is that four of the last five defending champions have crashed out in the group stage of the subsequent tournament, including les Bleus themselves in 2002.

France’s preparations for the tournament have been less than ideal, with poor results in the Nations League and injuries to the likes of Paul Pogba, Raphael Varane and N’Golo Kante. There are also question marks over the spirit within the dressing room.

Still, France have perhaps the most gifted group of players in international football right now. If everything clicks, they will be hard to stop.

Can England Win First Tournament Abroad?

England have only ever won one World Cup before, and that was when they hosted the tournament in 1966. After reaching the last four in 2018 and losing in the final of last summer’s European Championship, the Three Lions will strive to take the next step in Qatar.

Like France, though, England have not been playing particularly well in recent months, culminating in their relegation to League B of the Nations League in September. 

And while Gareth Southgate has strength in depth up front, there are doubts over the back-up options in midfield and at centre-back. England will hope that this team under this manager did not peak at Euro 2020.

Can Spain Get Back On Top?

Spain were crowned world champions in 2010, but they fell at the first hurdle in 2014 and were then knocked out by hosts Russia in the last 16 of World Cup 2018. However, a run to the semi-finals of the most recent European Championship arguably marked their return to the top table of the international game. 

As is typical, Spain are overflowing with technically gifted central midfielders, while Barcelona's youthful trident of Gavi, Pedri and Ansu Fati bring excitement and vibrancy to the team. 

The main cause for concern is up front, where Luis Enrique's side have continually struggled to convert possession into clear-cut chances. 

Will Germany Win A Fifth World Cup?

This is not a vintage Germany team, but the lesson of World Cups gone by is never to write the Nationalelf off. If anything, the four-time winners seem to fare better when they are not among the outright favourites to lift the trophy.

Hansi Flick’s rebuild remains a work in progress, but Germany have undoubtedly made progress since the end of Joachim Low’s long reign after the European Championship.

Germany have been drawn into a tough group alongside Spain and Japan. If they can come through that unscathed, they are a team that no one will relish facing in the knockout phase.

Latest World Cup 2022 Odds

Overall World Cup Winner

The odds for the winner of World Cup 2022 can be found in the tables above. Brazil are the favourite on the eve of the tournament, followed by Argentina, France, England, Spain and Germany.

World Cup Group Winners

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
Netherlands 1.40	England 1.33	Argentina 1.40	France 1.40
Senegal 5.60	USA 6.40	Poland 5.60	Denmark 4.00
Ecuador 7.00	Wales 7.00	Mexico 6.00	Australia 11.00
Qatar 14.00	Iran 17.00	Saudi Arabia 20.00	Tunisia 14.00

Group E	Group F	Group G	Group H
Spain 1.83	Belgium 1.53	Brazil 1.40	Portugal 1.60
Germany 2.11	Croatia 3.50	Switzerland 5.60	Uruguay 3.00
Japan 15.00	Morocco 11.00	Serbia 7.00	Ghana 12.00
Costa Rica 30.00	Canada 13.00	Cameroon 13.00	South Korea 12.00

Previous World Cup Winners

Team	World Cup Wins
Brazil	5 (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
West Germany/ Germany	4 (1954, 1974, 1990, 2014)
Italy	4 (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006)
Argentina	2 (1978, 1986)
France	2 (1998, 2018)
Uruguay	2 (1930, 1950)
England	1 (1966)
Spain	1 (2010)

Do the results of previous World Cups have any bearing on what is likely to happen in Qatar? Partly yes, partly no. On the one hand, playing for a country that has lifted the trophy before may well give the current players the belief that they can go all the way. 

On the other hand, there is usually a greater degree of pressure on previous World Cup winners, with teams like Brazil, Germany and France expected to reach the latter stages of the competition as a matter of course. Sometimes this can work against these nations.

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