2026 World Cup Best Bets Today: 6 Picks for Friday, June 26

Friday is a board full of favorites, and the trick on a day like this is to back them through the right market rather than laying the short moneyline that pays nothing. Senegal should win comfortably with a third-place spot still in reach, Egypt and Iran look like a goals game, and a couple of these matches are quietly set up for a result both sides can accept. The two marquee fixtures, Norway vs France and Uruguay vs Spain, each get their own full card elsewhere. Every pick below pays plus money and matches the expected scoreline. Here are six bets across the slate.

Shop every line on the RotoWire soccer betting page, confirm the lineups with RotoWire's predicted lineups, and check the 2026 World Cup set-piece takers guide before betting anything tied to dead balls.

Senegal vs Iraq Best Bets

Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. ET. - Toronto Stadium, Toronto

Ismaila Sarr Anytime Goalscorer +140

This is the favorite bet on the slate. France and Norway are through, so Senegal and Iraq are playing for third, and with eight of the 12 third-place teams advancing, the winner here climbs to three points and stays alive for a knockout spot. That gives Senegal every reason to win and win big to pad their goal difference, and they are a clear class above an Iraq side that has shipped goals all tournament. This projects as a 3-1, and Ismaila Sarr is the value scorer in the projected XI at +140. He gets the width and the runs in behind against a defense that has shipped goals all tournament, and plus money on him finding the net is a far better play than laying the short Senegal price. For an alternative, Sadio Mane at +135 is the other option from the same attack.

Egypt vs Iran Best Bets

Kickoff: 11:00 p.m. ET. - Boston Stadium

Egypt Over 1.5 Team Goals +220

Egypt sit top of the group and have Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush to lead the line, and the market appears to be underrating how open this one gets. This projects as a 2-2, with Egypt pushing for the win that secures top spot against an Iran side that has drawn both of its games. At +220, Egypt scoring twice or more is a generous price given the attacking talent they carry. The market has them priced as a low-event team, and that read does not hold up.

Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia Best Bets

Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. ET. - Houston Stadium

Draw +230

This is a value play built on the table. If Spain beat Uruguay as expected, a draw here likely lifts Cape Verde into second place on points, so they have every reason to sit in and protect a result, while Saudi Arabia have to chase the win. That asymmetry, one side content and one side forced forward, often produces a tight, low-scoring game that stays level deep into the second half. A 1-1 is the projection here, and +230 on the draw is plus money on the outcome that suits the side holding the cards.

Belgium vs New Zealand Best Bets

Kickoff: 11:00 p.m. ET. - Vancouver Stadium

Belgium and New Zealand Both Teams to Score +104

Belgium are heavy favorites and field a strong side with Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne, so they should win this comfortably. But New Zealand have shown some fight through Chris Wood, and a Belgium team chasing a big margin tends to leave gaps at the back. This projects as a 2-1, which means New Zealand nick one, and +104 on both teams to score is plus money on that exact shape. It is a cleaner play than laying the lopsided Belgium moneyline.

Norway vs France Best Bets

Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. ET. - Boston Stadium

Over 2.5 Goals -200

Norway vs France has its own full card in our Norway vs France best bets standalone, so just one plus-money leg gets flagged here. France and Norway are both already through on maximum points and meet to decide top spot, and France carry the firepower to make this a goals game with Kylian Mbappe leading the line. This projects as a 3-1, which clears this number, and -200 on four or more goals is the value. The margin play and a scorer prop both live in the standalone.

Uruguay vs Spain Best Bets

Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. ET. - Miami Stadium

Spain to Keep a Clean Sheet (Uruguay Under 0.5 Team Goals) +102

Uruguay vs Spain has its own full card in our Uruguay vs Spain best bets standalone, so just one plus-money leg gets flagged here. Spain have not conceded a goal all tournament and draw a Uruguay side missing Darwin Nunez and forced to chase. A 2-0 is the projection here, and +102 on Uruguay failing to score is plus money on the shutout. The margin and a scorer live in the standalone.

Friday World Cup Betting Picks

For the marquee games, see our Norway vs France best bets and Uruguay vs Spain best bets. Visit RotoWire's World Cup hub for daily betting picks, and use our odds page to shop the best number at DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM. Claim over a thousand dollars in bonuses at the best sports betting sites.