World Cup Tips

32 teams will play in 64 matches over 29 days as the 2022 FIFA World Cup heads to the Middle East.

Tournament favourites Brazil will be out to end their two decade drought at football’s ultimate showpiece event while reigning champions France will be looking to overcome a number of injuries to defend their crown.

We’re previewing every single match on the FIFA World Cup 2022 schedule below with best bets for every game so check back in throughout the tournament!

GROUP STAGE

If the tournament was taking place pretty much anywhere else outside of the Middle East, you would be backing Ecuador to cruise home, but the home ground advantage, combined with the buzz of the opening match makes the Qataris a real shout.

Working in their favour is the fact this playing group has been together for a while and will carry a four match winning streak from their warm up matches into this fixture.

Firepower is a real concern for Ecuador, having failed to score more than one goal in a match in over a calendar year across friendlies and qualifiers.

Their lead in has been slightly more testing than Qatar’s but to start off the tournament, back the home team to ride the wave over the line.

Back Qatar to Win @ $3.20

2018 Semi Finalists England will kick off their campaign against an Iran side that knows it will need to pinch something from this match to give themselves any chance of advancing out of the group.

There are more than enough red flags surrounding England’s build up to the tournament including not winning in any of their last six matches and being held scoreless on four occasions.

Three of those goals came in their final Nations League match against Germany when Gareth Southgate’s men were relegated from the top tier with a 3-3 draw.

Despite all of those issues, England will still start as very short priced favourites because they do have a far superior squad on paper.

However, its unlikely that England will be firing on all cylinders with the squad only arriving in Qatar a couple of days ago and a low scoring affair is almost certainly on the cards.

One goal, however they get it should be enough for them.

Back Under 1.5 Goals @ $2.70

Senegal suffered a massive blow in the lead up to the World Cup with Sadio Mane ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

While they still have a solid squad, losing their best player is going to have a huge impact on their chances and it is tough to see them finding a way to fill that massive hole right off the bat.

As for the Dutch, despite not being amongst the betting favourites, Louis van Gaal has a squad ready to hit the ground running and start their campaign with a statement win.

While their opponents are working out how to replace their star man, the Dutch should be able to lay down an early marker.

Back Netherlands to Win -1 Goal @ $2.65

It is tough to be bullish on either team just looking at their records heading into their opening match with neither side playing all that well.

The USA looked impotent in front of goal in their two final warm up matches, losing 2-0 to Japan and playing out a scoreless draw with Saudi Arabia.

At the opposite end of the pitch, starting goalkeeper Matt Turner is under an injury cloud and they left their best backup Zack Steffen at home which leaves their options at the position quite thin.

Meanwhile Wales has not won a match since their European qualifying playoff win over Wales but have played a very intimidating Nations League schedule since then.

They have lost twice to the Netherlands, drawn with Belgium at home before losing to them away from home and finally losing to Poland.

However their key players will be coming into the tournament full of confidence with Gareth Bale winning the MLS Championship with LAFC and they are a better chance of winning this than the market suggests.

However early in the tournament it’s a big risk to go too heavy on either side and the draw looks like the safe play, especially if both teams are not as sharp as most would expect in front of goal.

Back the Draw @ $3.00

Argentina will win this match, it’s just a question of how well they are going to play in the early stages of the tournament.

Their last international defeat came in the 2019 Copa America Semi Final against Brazil and since then, they have been on a rip and tear, unbeaten in their last 35 matches.

They have won their last five by a score of either 3-0 or 5-0 and got some much needed minutes in the Middle East last month, belting the UAE with Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi starring.

Saudi Arabia will try to give the Argentines a bit of a scare but there’s only one outcome to back here.

SGM: Argentina to Win and Lionel Messi Anytime Goalscorer @ $1.72

There’s a lot to like about Denmark heading into this tournament and are one of the smokeys to make a deep run with this side.

After a dramatic Euro tournament last year, the Danes will look to build on their progress in that tournament with a strong showing here and there is plenty of reason to back them in.

Tunisia did enough in qualifying to make it but it’s tough to see them causing too much trouble for the highly fancied Danes.

Back Denmark to Win to Nil @ $2.05

With the race for second place in Group C likely to come down to the wire, getting an early win will be huge and only one team appears to be capable of doing that in this fixture.

Boasting Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, Poland has the look of a team that will come out of the blocks firing (thanks to their star striker picking up a red card for his club allowing for a bit of extra rest).

There’s also a lot of reasons to worry about Mexico’s prospects and there is a realistic chance they may finish the tournament as the worst performing team.

Look to take on Mexico while there is a bit of value on that.

Back Poland to Win @ $2.70

They couldn’t do it could they?

Every Aussie fan would love to see the Socceroos knock off the defending champions France after they went close to holding them to a draw in 2018.

Whatever your opinion of the Australian side, there are plenty of red flags surrounding a notoriously slow starting French team heading into the tournament.

The last time they went into a World Cup as the defending champion in 2002, they were upset in humiliating fashion by Senegal in their opening match and a few key figures from their 2018 triumph are missing.

While not quite the star player, N’Golo Kante may be the biggest blow to that squad with his industrious work rate impossible to replace.

If France is off their game, Australia has the team to hit them on the counter and deliver a sucker punch or two.

Admittedly with some green and gold coloured glasses, Australia is a better chance of getting something from the match than their current quote suggests, so be the optimist and have a speculative play.

Back Australia/Draw Double Chance @ $3.75

The 2018 runners up will commence their campaign against Morocco with several members of that squad back and looking to go one better, most notably captain Luka Modric.

They have enjoyed an ideal build up to the tournament over the last few months, winning five straight matches including four in the Nations League and a 1-0 friendly over Saudi Arabia last week.

Morocco was bundled out of the 2018 tournament with a solitary point however the 2022 version of their squad, lead by Achraf Hakimi, cruised through qualifying and will be looking for the nation’s first World Cup match win since 1998.

With a couple of statement wins already in the tournament, Croatia will be desperate to start their campaign off on a winning note and are at a worthwhile price to take all three points.

Back Croatia to Win @ $2.10

With the memory of their embarrassing early exit in 2018 still lingering the Germans will be eager to start this campaign off on the right foot.

Despite this German side having the feel of a team somewhat in transition, there is no shortage of quality on offer for manager Hansi Flick.

Japan could present a stubborn challenge however, having grown into their qualifying campaign, in the end comfortably securing an automatic qualification berth ahead of Australia.

Their warm up loss to Canada is a bit of a concern however, but there is plenty of attacking firepower for the Samurai Blue to call upon should they fall into a hole.

The Germans defence was hardly watertight during their most recent stretch of Nations League matches, failing to keep a clean sheet in their last seven competitive matches with their most recent one coming on November 12, 2021 against Liechtenstein.

It should finish as a win to Germany but Japan should at least make them work for it and put a bit of a scare into them with a goal of their own.

Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.75

All signs are pointing towards a blowout in this fixture with Costa Rica not given much hope of replicating their run to the quarter finals in 2014.

Having just scraped through qualification with a 1-0 playoff win over New Zealand, their preferred style of play does not lend credence to their chances of getting anything from this fixture as Spain will be looking to not only win, but win convincingly to help their goal difference for later on.

Should the Spaniards get an early goal and force Costa Rica out of their shell, this will be a long night for the CONCACAF side.

It’s just a case of how early Spain score and how much they want to win by.

Back Spain to Win and Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.63

The draw could have offered up a slightly more pleasant welcome back to Canada, who has qualified for their first tournament since 1986.

Belgium should win this and win this one easily with their star studded golden generation desperate to secure some form of silverware.

Unfortunately for the Canadians, they just don’t have the talent to match up with the Belgians and they should finish with all three points.

Perhaps the only conundrum with the Belgians is how they handle the absence of Romelu Lukaku but even with him out, there is no shortage of goalscoring options including Kevin De Bruyne who has begun the Premier League season in sparkling form.

It won’t matter who scores, but Belgium should gain an early advantage and go on with the job.

Back Belgium HT/FT @ $2.30

The Swiss will head into this match as favourites, a somewhat justifiable position considering they cruised through qualifying conceding just two goals and going undefeated in eight matches.

Perhaps even more impressively, they earned an automatic spot at the expense of Italy thanks to a pair of draws with the Azzuri.

As for Cameroon, they battled through qualifying from the word go, needing every point to get by Ivory Coast in their group and then the playoff with Algeria where they earned their spot on away goals.

However since qualifying, Cameroon has not had an ideal build up either, with defeats to Uzbekistan and South Korea in September as well as draws with Jamaica and Panama in the last fortnight.

It’s tempting to try and dig into the market to try and find a slightly better price on a different market but in tournament football, defence is a team’s best asset, and you have to like what Switzerland is capable of.

Back Switzerland to Win @ $1.75

We’ve got the potentially decisive match for second place in Group H here with Uruguay clear favourites over South Korea.

It may be a bit of an oversimplification for this side but South Korea’s fortunes will be decided by and large by the performances of Tottenham ace Heung-Min Son.

Working against them is the fact he is playing in a face mask to shield his fractured eye socket, but such is his importance, even if he doesn’t score his team’s goals, the attention he attracts will make like easier on his teammates.

Should he not be able to carry the load, the likes of Wolves attacker Hwang Hee-Chan will need to step up and take their chances.

Uruguay is not short on quality themselves, especially with an attacking group made up of Luis Suarez, Darwin Nunez, Maxi Gomez and Edinson Cavani.

If Son is close to 100% South Korea have a real chance but both sides will look to go on the attack which makes the over a very appealing play.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.35

Portuguese supporters will be hoping that this is the first of a seven match odyssey that ends with Cristiano Ronaldo holding the World Cup trophy.

In terms of difficulty of their opening match opposition, Ghana does possess a talented squad on paper with several familiar names to Premier League fans and Portugal might not be the automatic selection many are expecting them to be.

They won their warm up match over Switzerland 2-0 while Portugal belted Nigeria 4-0 so both will be carrying a bit of confidence into this one.

However when Portugal is on form, they are tough to back against and they have a side filled with gamebreakers and they should be able to get themselves over the line.

Back Portugal Halftime/Fulltime @ $2.10

Tournament favourites Brazil will take on Serbia first up with a high likelihood of this game turning into a bit of a shootout.

We all know about Brazil’s star studded attacking lineup with Neymar the headline act, however Serbia possess plenty of attacking prowess as well.

Dusan Vlahovic, Dusan Tadic and Aleksandar Mitrovic will put the fear into any defensive group and it’s tough to see Brazil keeping a clean sheet.

However you have to still give the edge to the Brazilians considering their impervious form in the lead up to this fixture.

They have won seven in a row and looking back even further, in their last 29 matches, their only defeat was in the final of the 2021 Copa America tournament against Argentina.

In the last three years, their overall record is 24 wins, four draws and that solitary loss.

SGM: Brazil to Win and Both Teams to Score @ $3.37

It took a while for Wales to get going in their opening fixture against the USA but a late Gareth Bale penalty to secure a valuable point.

For Iran they will be desperate to show that their awful performance against England was just a bad night at the office, but it is a little surprising to see them at their current price considering just how bad they looked.

As for Wales, there is every chance the battle for the second qualification spot in Group B will be determined by goal difference so they will need to find a way to put up a big score despite an anaemic attack.

Thankfully there is enough value in the match result market on Wales to just back them to pick up a much needed win.

Back Wales to Win @ $2.05

Another side looking to bounce back from a poor showing on Matchday 1 is Qatar but their debut World Cup seems unlikely to improve when they face Senegal.

Senegal’s flaws without Sadio Mane were evident against the Netherlands, going down despite a gallant effort, but they should be in for a much easier time when they face the host nation.

It might not be a free-flowing, high scoring affair but Senegal should be able to find a way to wear down the Qatari defence and score enough goals to get them over the line.

Back Senegal to Win and Under 3.5 Goals @ $2.05

Ecuador will be in for a much rougher time on Matchday 2 when they face fellow first up winners the Netherlands.

For one, the Group A favourites will be much better organised than a lacklustre Qatar side and could welcome Memphis Depay back into the starting lineup after he was limited to a cameo in his side’s win over Senegal.

His return should provide a bit of a spark to a Dutch attack that was left wanting for most of their opening match.

While Ecuador did score twice against Qatar, it was a match that was bereft of clear cut chances and it’s tough to see them finding more avenues to goal here.

Look for the Dutch to pick up a win and secure a spot in the Round of 16.

Back Netherlands to Win @ $1.80

For all of the pre-tournament concerns that England would have to suffer through a slow start to the tournament before hitting top gear, they were blown out of the water with their resounding win over a hapless Iran team.

The Americans lead Wales deep into their opening match but gave away a poor penalty which Gareth Bale dispatched to share the honours.

Working in their favour for this fixture however is the knowledge that this is quite likely a free hit for them and as long as they don’t get blown out, they will be in fine shape heading into Matchday 3.

They will need to maintain their discipline at the back in the face of a talented English attack and it is tough to see them repelling the English forwards for the whole match.

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka was the star of their win over Iran and he should be able to cause plenty of havoc for the American backline, so we’ll back him to score in a SGM that also has England to win.

SGM: England to Win, Over 2.5 Goals, Bukayo Saka Anytime Goalscorer @ $5.76

Matchday 1 was not quite the worst possible outcome for Australia, but it was pretty close to it as they fell 4-1 to the reigning world champions.

Tunisia proved that they will be a much tougher out than many casual punters expected with a stubborn 0-0 draw against Denmark, however this is still Australia’s best chance of getting points in this group.

They do not have the attacking prowess of the French team (few do) which should allow the Australians to play a little bit further up the pitch if they want to be aggressive and go for the win from the outset.

However there are legitimate questions over whether or not a more aggressive approach will produce the desired outcome.

After all, Tunisia will have this match circled as their best chance of a win as well and will be putting everything they have into it.

It should lend itself to a slightly more free flowing fixture than what the market is suggesting and there is value to be found backing both teams to score.

For a tip on the outcome, the draw might be the way to go but it’s tough to feel confident backing any outcome.

Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.95

What will Saudi Arabia do for a follow up act after their stunning introduction to the 2022 tournament?

Should they find a way to defeat Poland they could secure a spot in the Round of 16 which will surely be lingering at the forefront of their player’s minds.

Poland will feel like they threw away two points when Robert Lewandowski had his penalty saved by Guillermo Ochoa in their opening draw.

That result will have them behind the eight ball in terms of securing one of the qualification spots from Group C and anything less than a win here could lead to an early exit.

However it is tough to back against Asia’s best ranked side after that remarkable showing in the second half, especially when they have been installed as such heavy outsiders in the market.

We should see a few goals scored here and at their current price, backing Saudi Arabia to get a point looks like the value option for a Same Game Multi.

SGM: Saudi Arabia/Draw Double Chance and Over 1.5 Goals @ $2.95

About those big name absences from the French side, it looks like they have found a way to adapt to them even if they took 25 or so minutes to get going against Australia.

Denmark dropped points against Tunisia as they were unable to find a breakthrough, and they will likely find themselves struggling to get much of the ball against a rampant French front line.

Perhaps their biggest advantage will be knowing the result from the Tunisia-Australia match before kickoff and just how important pushing for at least a point will be.

But even knowing just what is needed may not be enough to repel the French here and having had 90 minutes to iron out some of the issues, you have to like the reigning champions to pick up all three points and secure their spot in the Round of 16.

Back France to Win @ $1.83

Argentina will be one of the few teams happy with the short turnaround between matches in Qatar as they look to move on from their shock defeat to Saudi Arabia.

Having put the ball in the back of the net multiple times, but only seeing one count due to VAR before a flat second half lead to their demise, they will have to shake it off and find a way to take multiple points from Mexico.

Thanks to the heroics of Guillermo Ochoa, the Mexicans picked up a hard earned point and are more than capable of producing a rear-guard effort to frustrate the South American heavyweights.

However with the veteran leadership in that squad, surely Argentina finds a way to bounce back and if they can fashion the same number of chances they did against Saudi Arabia, they will find a way to score more than one goal.

Back Argentina to Win and Over 1.5 Goals @ $2.00

No team had a worse time than Costa Rica on Matchday 1, getting absolutely belted from pillar to post by a rampant Spanish team.

Conversely, perhaps only Saudi Arabia had a better time than Japan in their opening match with the Samurai Blue coming from behind for all three points in a remarkable display of resilience.

Chances are they won’t find themselves on the back foot in the same manner here despite the Costa Ricans being desperate for a response.

It’s unlikely that Japan will have any sort of letdown after that big win as they could take a big step towards the knockout stages with a convincing win here.

Back Japan to Win -1 Goal @ $2.25

If you just look at the scoreline from their opening match, you would think Belgium did well to record a 1-0 win over Canada but it was a horrible performance masked by the scoreline.

Perhaps the only reason for hope is the fact it is an experienced squad that will grow into tournament with the more matches they play.

Morocco gave Croatia all they could handle and a similar effort will give them a chance of springing an upset over the Belgians.

But it does feel like the market has slightly overreacted to the opening results and Belgium at this price offers plenty of value for the punters.

Back Belgium to Win @ $2.00

It was a nervy first up showing from the 2018 finalists as they battled to a 0-0 draw with manager Zlatko Dalic urging his side to play with a bit more freedom in their second fixture.

Canada had no problem creating chances in their opening match but failed to convert on any of their 21 opportunities, something that will surely correct itself here just by the weight of numbers.

However like the last match, it looks like there has been a bit of an overreaction to the first up results which has Croatia at a decent price for those looking to back them.

They have far more room for improvement on their Matchday 1 performance and this side has the capacity to come away with a convincing win if it starts to click.

Back Croatia to Win @ $2.10

What was already one of the biggest Group Stage matches of the entire World Cup suddenly has a lot more meaning to it with the Germans needing a win to get their campaign back on track.

After dominating the opening 45 minutes, they fell apart and allowed a determined Japanese side back into the match with the Samurai Blue earning all three points.

Perhaps they had an eye on this fixture but Spain’s dominating win over Costa Rica will have the 2010 champions buzzing, especially after seeing their chief rivals drop points.

This is also one of the few World Cup matches where there is some recent head to head history to reference with the last meeting resulting in a resounding 6-0 win for the Spaniards.

Both sides will have plenty of reason to push for a victory in this game but there will be no shortage of chances and that is why we’re backing a high scoring affair.

Back Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.55

It was a nervy first up showing from the 2018 finalists as they battled to a 0-0 draw with manager Zlatko Dalic urging his side to play with a bit more freedom in their second fixture.

Canada had no problem creating chances in their opening match but failed to convert on any of their 21 opportunities, something that will surely correct itself here just by the weight of numbers.

However like the last match, it looks like there has been a bit of an overreaction to the first up results which has Croatia at a decent price for those looking to back them.

They have far more room for improvement on their Matchday 1 performance and this side has the capacity to come away with a convincing win if it starts to click.

Back Croatia to Win @ $2.10

What was already one of the biggest Group Stage matches of the entire World Cup suddenly has a lot more meaning to it with the Germans needing a win to get their campaign back on track.

After dominating the opening 45 minutes, they fell apart and allowed a determined Japanese side back into the match with the Samurai Blue earning all three points.

Perhaps they had an eye on this fixture but Spain’s dominating win over Costa Rica will have the 2010 champions buzzing, especially after seeing their chief rivals drop points.

This is also one of the few World Cup matches where there is some recent head to head history to reference with the last meeting resulting in a resounding 6-0 win for the Spaniards.

Both sides will have plenty of reason to push for a victory in this game but there will be no shortage of chances and that is why we’re backing a high scoring affair.

Back Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.55

With both teams looking to rebound from first up defeats, this should be an interesting battle between two sides will no room for error on Matchday 2.

Despite plenty of attacking firepower on both sides, they were each held goalless in their first outings however you can somewhat forgive them considering the opponents.

Serbia went down to tournament favourites Brazil 2-0 while Cameroon were unable to find a way through a Swiss team with one of the best defences in the tournament.

For the Cameroonian side, it was their eighth straight defeat at the World Cup Finals and they will find themselves under plenty of pressure from a strong Serbian side.

With the likes of Tadic, Vlahovic and Mitrovic leading the line, we’ll back Serbia to record a valuable win in their quest for progression to the Round of 16.

Back Serbia to Win @ $1.70

South Korea might have come away from their opening match against Uruguay with a point but there’s an argument to be made that Ghana looked a lot better in their defeat to Portugal.

They were so close to snatching a point and were gallant in defeat, however there is a major query over whether or not they will be able to back it up against a tough and disciplined South Korean side.

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage for both of these teams is that they will play before their fellow Group H rivals which means neither will be able to leave much to chance by playing for a draw here.

It has been an excellent tournament for Asian teams so far and knowing they have to face Portugal up next, I’ll back South Korea to grind out a win and give themselves a bit to play for on the final day.

Back South Korea to Win and Over 1.5 Goals @ $3.30

Switzerland might have one of the best defences at the World Cup but they are going to be in for a long evening when they take on the Brazilians.

Such is the ridiculous talent level they have at their disposal, that the Brazilians can lose Neymar to an injury and still be able to roll with a forward line that includes Vinicius, Richarlison and Raphina before turning to their bench.

The Swiss might generally be happy to sit back and absorb pressure however that is a recipe for disaster inviting this team to attack in waves.

Brazil is much stronger than they were the last time these teams met in Russia four years ago and they should have no problems controlling this game from start to finish.

Back Brazil to Win to Nil @ $2.35

You can never take a win at a World Cup for granted but Portugal will have to feel a little bit fortunate to have held off a fast finishing Ghanaian side on Matchday 1.

There were a number of defensive frailties exposed by their opponents in the second half and if they lay down again, Uruguay will be there to punish them.

Thankfully they have a plethora of attacking talent to try and offset some of those issues with the front line still lead by Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored in his fifth World Cup.

Uruguay has a real chance at springing an upset but the value in this market is in the total goals play, after all neither side inspires a whole lot of confidence when it comes to keeping a clean sheet and it’s tough to back against these strikers.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.20

It is all either of these nations could have hoped for heading into the final Group A match, if they win they will go through to the knockout phase.

A draw would be enough for both to advance if Qatar manages to defeat the Dutch by at least three goals… however you could probably get better odds on alien life being discovered on Pluto before the fulltime whistle.

Ecuador have been a pleasant surprise this season with an energetic style of play which gave the Dutch plenty of problems and they should have the legs to overrun Senegal in the end.

The fact a draw is going to be enough for them and it might mean Ecuador could go into their shell early on to try and place it safe against a desperate Senegalese team.

But with top spot in the group potentially still on the line, they should go too far into their shell and will do what is necessary and advance with a win.

Back Ecuador to Win @ $2.40

Having already made the wrong sort of history being the first World Cup host nation to be eliminated after a pair of Group Stage matches, Qatar now faces the unwanted prospect of becoming the first host to finish with a grand total of zero points.

The only thing giving them a modicum of hope is the fact the Dutch just need a draw to progress and if the other Group A fixture ends in a draw which might cause them to play within themselves a little bit.

However the slim chance of that happening is not worth backing in, nor is any sort of Dutch win since that is at such a short price.

PSV’s Cody Gapko has been one of the breakout stars of the group stage, scoring in both Dutch games and he’s a strong chance of adding a third here.

Back Cody Gapko Anytime Goalscorer @ $1.83

Group B could not have been set up any better for the final day with all four nations technically in contention for the Round of 16.

For England it is as simple as it gets thanks to their massive win over Iran first up, a draw will send them through regardless of what happens in the other matches while a win secures top spot and a Round of 16 tie with the Group A runner up (which would be Ecuador based on these previews).

Wales need a minor miracle on the other hand but it is still possible, first they need to defeat England and then hope that the USA and Iran match will finish as a draw.

Making life even tougher for the Welsh is the absence of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey who was sent off in their defeat to Iran and that won’t help their chances of stifling an English attack that was left wanting in their last outing.

Look for England to go on the attack to try and kill this game off early and we could see this one turn into a bit of a shootout with Wales shorthanded at the back.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.80

If you want to know which Matchday 3 fixture will have the most tension associated with it, this is going to be one of the favourites for that honour.

Both nations face a win and in scenario with Iran in the slightly more advantageous position as the ones who will benefit from the draw thanks to their win over Iran.

It puts America in a tough position as they will need to find a way to push the tempo and get Iran on the back foot, something they may not be overly comfortable with even with the likes of Christian Pulisic running the show.

However an early goal might be the best thing for them as it will force Iran to open up as they try to chase down the deficit which could create more space for the Americans to double their advantage.

The longer this game goes on, the more pressure goes on the team that needs the win and the more it will benefit Iran whose defensive improvements between Matchday 1 and 2 was unrivalled.

It’s not the most confident pick, but there are real doubts over whether or not the USA has the capacity to breakdown a stubborn Iranian defence and the double chance for the AFC nation is at a solid price.

Back Iran or Draw Double Chance @ $1.80

For the first time since 2010, the Socceroos won a match at the World Cup and for the first time since that day in Johannesburg, the third Group Stage fixture will determine Australia’s fate at the tournament rather than simply being a match for pride.

To advance Australia must either defeat Denmark or draw this match and hope Tunisia cannot spring an upset against an already qualified French team.

Securing that vital victory will be no easy task with the Danish side desperate to bounce back from a pair of underwhelming results so far and knowing that a win is their only hope of returning to the Round of 16 for the fifth time in their history.

With one eye on proceedings at the Education City Stadium, look for both teams to utilise a risk averse approach early on before a much more open second half.

Nothing that either team has shown so far suggests that this is going to be an overly high scoring affair and it could be a situation where we are heading into the final 15 minutes with scores level.

From there it will come down to which team holds their nerve and a breakthrough either way may not come.

Back the Draw @ $4.00

France reminded everyone why they are the reigning World Champions by becoming the first nation to qualify for the Round of 16.

It is no surprise to see them start short priced favourites against Tunisia as they chase a perfect Group Stage record and secure top spot in Group D.

With Kylian Mbappe in imperious form, look for the French to put their foot on the accelerator and march on to the knockout stages.

Back France to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.60

While a draw might be enough for both of these teams to progress to the knockout phase, neither team will be overly comfortable banking on that outcome here.

With what we have seen from both of these teams so far, we are likely going to be in for a cagey, low scoring affair with both teams doing everything they can to avoid a tournament ending defeat.

Argentina’s star studded attack has failed to fire so far in this tournament and their win over Mexico did nothing to allay the fears that this is a side well off its best.

Poland broke down Saudi Arabia for a win on Matchday 2 to put themselves in the box seat in Group C and they know a draw will be enough for them.

However with the potential bogey prize of France awaiting the group runner up, Poland will be eager to avoid dropping down to second spot.

With so much on the line and both teams having one eye on the other group match, backing the unders is the way to go.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $1.70

Still chasing their first goal of the World Cup, it’s tough to see why Mexico is favoured in this match.

To secure an unlikely progression to the Round of 16, they would need to defeat Saudi Arabia and then have either Poland win outright, or rely on a goal differential turnaround of three or four, something which seems unlikely given their performances to date.

It’s a bit more straightforward for Saudi Arabia who have the benefit of their opening match win over Argentina and they have shown a lot more than the Mexicans so far.

All of the value in this market is on backing Saudi Arabia and they should be able to get at least a point knowing what is on the line.

Back Saudi Arabia/Draw Double Chance @ $2.15

As tough as this would have been to imagine a fortnight ago, one of these powerhouse nations will likely be going home at the conclusion of this match.

Thanks to frustrating results against Morocco, what was initially earmarked as a glorified training run will now carry so much more meaning.

Belgium appears to be the more vulnerable of the two having stumbled through their two matches and looking like an incredibly disjointed outfit despite having some of the best players in the world.

Croatia showcased the talent that drove them to the final four years ago, flexing their muscles against Canada with a 4-1 win.

There’s a very strong case to be made for backing Croatia to win at their current price, however it is tough to completely discount a desperate Belgium team finding a way to rally.

For better or worse, there should be goals in this match and the overs looks like a slightly safer play.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.95

Tournament surprise packets Morocco are now one win against an already eliminated Canada away from topping a very tough group and the Round of 16.

Canada has impressed for no reward in the World Cup so far, but it is a story we have seen many times in the past (including the 2014 Australian side) who head into Matchday 3 burnt out and with nothing on the line.

While a draw will be enough for Morocco, look for them to put the outcome beyond all doubt with a win.

Back Morocco to Win @ $2.10

The most entertaining group at the World Cup will boil down to these two hours and it could not be set up for a better conclusion.

Despite a 7-0 win first up, Spain is not yet through and will need to find a way past a stubborn Japanese side still seething after losing to Costa Rica.

As impressive as the Samurai Blue were in their come from behind win over Germany, it’s tough to see Spain letting up in this match with so much on the line.

Perhaps the biggest concern is that Japan has nothing left in the tank after that win and should this match turn into a shootout, it could get ugly.

Back Spain to Win -1 Goal @ $2.05

There may never be a bigger turnaround in World Cup history than Costa Rica responding to a 7-0 defeat with a 1-0 win.

As herculean as that effort was, they will need to improve even more against a German side desperate to avoid a second consecutive Group Stage exit.

Anything less than a victory will see them suffer the same fate, while a point for Japan will require a win by two or more goals and a loss for Spain will need something along the lines of a 7-0 win.

One thing we have learned throughout this tournament is there has been a major correction after surprise results and after their big win, Costa Rica may come out a bit flat which will be music to the German’s ears.

This is a team with no shortage of attacking talent and they’ll go for broke trying to get themselves back into the Round of 16.

Back Germany to Win and Over 3.5 Goals @ $1.85

For better or worse, Ghanaian matches have been guaranteed box office with the team playing out a pair of 3-2 results.

Their win over South Korea has them daring to dream of an unlikely progression and you would be hard pressed to back against them at this price.

Especially when you consider Uruguay is yet to register a goal at the tournament despite possessing the likes of Darwin Nunez, Edinzon Cavani and Luis Suarez.

It’s a surprise to see the overs at their current price but with both teams needing to go for a win (and Ghana’s defensive frailties), that is the play for the game.

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $1.91

There is every reason to stay away from this match with Portugal already into the knockout stages and in position to let key players rest before the Round of 16.

South Korea will have to shake off a disappointing defeat on Matchday 2 and rely on a favour or two to advance but it is certainly a much better chance of occurring than the market suggests.

It may not actually matter but there is huge value on taking the South Koreans to win this one outright with Portugal having one eye on what is up next.

Back South Korea to Win @ $5.50

It is mission accomplished (almost) for Brazil with a draw all that they need to win Group G but even with a rotated squad, they should have no trouble picking up maximum points here.

Cameroon’s draw with Serbia was one of the more entertaining matches of the tournament but it did neither side any favours, in their hopes for progression.

Having the World Cup favourites last up is going to be the fatal blow for Cameroon’s campaign but you can back them going out in style with some confidence.

After all, what else do they have to lose by going for it here?

Back Over 3.5 Goals @ $2.45

In a World Cup filled with unpredictability, the Swiss have been one of the few teams that have followed the form guide.

Their matches are not going to be what you need to keep you awake through the night with a firm, defensively oriented approach, but it has them in position to advance if they can take care of European rivals Serbia.

When they met in Russia four years ago it was the Swiss emerging victorious with a come from behind 2-1 win.

They look well placed to repeat that feat yet again and with Serbia’s hot and cold efforts thus far, it’s tough to back them with any faith.

There’s a price to be had on taking the unders and that is what we will do to wrap up the Group Stage.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $1.73

ROUND OF 16

The Americans might be dreaming of a possible World Cup Quarter Final date with Argentina but first they have to get through a Dutch side that has been efficient through group play.

Both teams rode resolute defensive efforts to qualify for the knockout phase with their respective backlines breached only once each.

It is no surprise then to see the under at a very short price and not really offering a lot of value.

However the Dutch are a much better shout than their 90 minute result price would suggest, especially with an injury cloud hovering over America’s star attacker Christian Pulisic.

The Dutch have their gamebreakers ready to go, with Cody Gapko continuing his strong goalscoring form and that is where these two teams are separated.

Back Netherlands to Win (90 Minutes) @ $1.95

The fairytale run continues and Australia’s success story faces its biggest test with Lionel Messi and Argentina on the cards for the Round of 16.

We know what the gameplan will be for the Socceroos, with a stout, organised defence holding on for dear life and relying on a piece of individual brilliance to spring a goal on the counter attack.

It might seem somewhat reckless to invite Argentina forward in wave after wave, however that strategy has helped frustrate the South American heavyweights throughout group play.

Having been stunned by Saudi Arabia in their opening match after wasting numerous chances, Argentina did enough to defeat Mexico and Poland to win their group, however there was a lot left to be desired in each of those performances.

Australia will get its wish of a tight, low scoring affair and the unders looks to be at a nice price which is where we’ll go here, as tempting as it is to bet with the heart and take Australia to qualify at $9.50.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $2.10

As tempting as it is for any Australian fan to hold the French loss to Tunisia against Les Bleus, that defeat won’t have too much of an impact on this game.

Didier Deschamps will revert back to his strongest 11 from the start of the match rather than relying on Kylian Mbappe and company to try salvage a result in the final 20 minutes.

Poland just doesn’t have the firepower to match the French at their best and this doesn’t look like a it will be a close game.

Back France to Win -1 Goal @ $1.80

Senegal will be the next step in England’s “Coming Home” tour as Gareth Southgate’s men will look for another trip to the World Cup Quarter Finals.

Outside of a brief defensive lapse late on against Iran, England’s defensive record has been faultless throughout the tournament with clean sheets against America and Wales.

Senegal overcame a wave of doubters to advance to the knockout phase but the big concern over them is whether or not they have run their race just getting this far.

England knows what they have to do to advance and we’ll back them to get the job done.

Back England to Win to Nil @ $2.10

In their first meeting since the 2006 World Cup, there is plenty on the line for Japan and Croatia in this Round of 16 clash.

Few would have expected the Samurai Blue to advance from a group that included Spain and Germany, but they defeated both European powerhouses to finish on six points.

Croatia is yet to lose in the tournament playing out scoreless draws with Morocco and Belgium either side of a convincing win over Canada.

It feels like Croatia are yet to reach top gear and have been playing themselves into form ahead of the knockout stages.

As for Japan there is a real concern that they are not playing to their strengths, limiting their attacking talent to play a bit more conservatively and that is a bad idea against the Croatians.

Back Croatia to Win (90 Minutes) @ $2.10

Most of Brazil’s superstars will be well rested after sitting out their final group game against Cameroon.

South Korea qualified in the most dramatic of circumstances with a late goal to beat Portugal, before having to endure an agonising amount of stoppage time in Ghana-Uruguay.

It has been the most successful tournament for Asian nations in World Cup history with three teams into the knockout phase but it’s a bit harsh on South Korea being drawn against the tournament favourites.

The Brazilians are rolling and I’ll be backing them right through to the final.

Back Brazil to Win -1 Goal @ $1.73

For the second World Cup in a row, Spain will play Morocco after the two sides played out a 2-2 draw in group play four years ago.

The Spanish side needed a late equaliser from Iago Aspas on that day and La Roja will be desperate to avoid a similar slip up here.

However Morocco is one of a handful of teams that have stunned all comers so far this World Cup, topping their group with two wins and a draw.

Spain is the top scoring team in the tournament thanks to their massive first up win over Costa Rica, but to win in the knockout phase, they will have to find a way to keep scoring with some defensive frailties there for all to see.

Morocco has been strong at the back but it doesn’t seem likely that we will see a low scoring affair here with both teams chasing a victory.

Back Both Teams to Score @ $2.25

Switzerland had to abandon their normally stingy style of play in their final group game to get by a fiery Serbian team, while Portugal was able to put the cue in the rack after an hour against South Korea.

Neither side looks like they will manage to run away with this matchup with a low scoring contest seemingly a certainty.

Out of the eight Round of 16 matches, this has the highest potential to go to extra time and the 90 minute draw offers decent value.

Back the Draw (90 Minutes) @ $3.30

QUARTER FINALS

Either the 2018 finalist or the 2022 tournament favourite will be going home at the end of this match.

Croatia needed every last kick of the ball to get by a stubborn Japan side and fatigue is a real concern coming up against a mobile and motivated Brazilian outfit.

Brazil blew away South Korea with a four goal blitz inside the opening 36 minutes to start their Round of 16 match and allowed them to cruise through the second half relatively unscathed.

While they did concede a late consolation goal Brazil’s defence has been very strong throughout the tournament and the should be able to keep the Croatians at bay.

At the other end of the pitch there is simply too much firepower for the Croatian side to repel and that is why the Brazilians are such strong favourites to advance to the Semi Finals.

Back Brazil to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.00

Louis Van Gaal seems to save his best managerial performances for moments like this.

Taking on Argentina in a World Cup Quarter Final, the Dutch are surprise outsiders after their clinical performance defeating the USA in the Round of 16.

The attacking duo of Memphis Depay and Cody Gapko will be a handful for the Argentine defence and will test the likes of Nicholas Otamendi who was superb against Australia.

While Argentina would love to deliver Lionel Messi a World Cup victory before he retires, the team has not quite fired the way some were expecting so far.

If they have not produced a statement performance by now, it seems unlikely that this is where Argentina suddenly finds its form.

The Dutch look like the value play of the Quarter Finals and are the best bet here.

Back Netherlands to Win (90 Minutes) @ $3.50

Up until the 17^th minute of Portugal’s Round of 16 clash, you could have made a very compelling case for Morocco to spring another upset.

Then Goncalo Ramos belted in the first of his three goals and the rout was on as Portugal showcased just how dangerous they could be.

Benching Cristiano Ronaldo might not have made the superstar striker happy, but it worked a treat with the Portuguese looking faster, fitter and more motivated than they have in years.

If they can maintain that level of play, Morocco’s admirable defensive resolve will be tested and with them backing up from a gruelling extra time affair, they may not have the legs to match Portugal’s intensity.

Back Portugal to Win and Over 1.5 Goals @ $2.15

The draw could not have thrown up a more favourable Quarter Final tie as England and France face off.

Both of these teams have been scoring for fun this tournament with Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe two of the star performers so far.

England’s run of three straight clean sheets looks destined to come to an end with a full strength French attack unlikely to be kept at bay for 90 minutes.

As for the French defence they have been somewhat suspect all tournament with no clean sheets yet so England seems destined to score at least one.

By and large there is not a lot between these two sides but the one big difference is that France has the best player at the tournament in Mbappe and that is why we’re going to back the French to advance.

Back France to Win (90 Minutes) & Over 2.5 Goals @ $4.00

SEMI FINALS

The last two nations to lose the World Cup Final will face off with redemption on their mind.

Both sides will have to find a way to regroup after draining Quarter Final victories where they were taken to shootouts by Brazil and the Netherlands.

That continued Croatia’s remarkable run at World Cups where five of their last six knockout stage matches have gone to extra time and seven of their last nine have finished as draws after 90 minutes.

Argentina has to be concerned about their inability to see out a match in this tournament with the side struggling in three of their five matches so far.

Saudi Arabia ran them down on Matchday 1 to secure a 2-1 upset then Australia almost found an equaliser in the Round of 16 with the Dutch scoring twice after the 80^th minute to send the match to extra time.

Croatia showed their ability to rally late on in their match against Brazil and if they only need one goal they can run down Argentina.

Extra time seems very likely in this one and we’ll back a score draw in the 90 minute market and hope for a little bit of chaos.

SGM: Draw and Both Teams to Score @ $5.35

Morocco’s miraculous run continues with the reigning world champions up next and a place in the World Cup Final on the line.

Having knocked off Spain and Portugal in their last two outings, they will be giving themselves every opportunity to claim another big name scalp.

Defensively they have been nearly perfect so far, conceding just one goal in their final Group Stage match against Canada and that was an own goal from Naif Aguerd.

However they may never have a tougher task than repelling a rampant French frontline with Kylian Mbappe ready to wreak havoc.

The French saw off a resilient English team with a little bit of good fortune when Harry Kane’s second half penalty was fired over the bar.

This is a team yet to keep a clean sheet at this tournament and Morocco will be aiming to hit them on the counter attack, but the big question remains whether or not they can.

If the French can find a way to score early and force Morocco to abandon their gameplan this could be a much more wide open game than they would like and it will play into the French hands.

Perhaps it’s a simplistic approach to take but in a situation like this you have to back the better team and France have the advantage all over the pitch.

Back France to Win and Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.70

THIRD PLACED PLAYOFF

Before we get to the ceremony of the World Cup Final, we first have to go through the turgid process of enduring the third placed playoff.

Maybe a few players might be invested in this but for most, this will be a reminder that their tournament fell one match short of the ultimate goal.

Both of these teams looked like they had very little left in the tank and do not seem likely to fire in this one.

Look for a low scoring contest and take the unders.

Back Under 2.5 Goals @ $1.95

WORLD CUP FINAL

The dynasty or the destiny, the reigning champions against the perennial “almost there” team, the old against the new, Lionel Messi and Kyllian Mbappe.

After 63 matches and four weeks of frantic action, the World Cup Final will be between Argentina and France with history on the line.

France will be aiming to become the first nation to successfully defend their title in 60 years, while Argentina is trying to be the first reigning Copa America champion to win the World Cup.

For Lionel Messi, this is the one thing that has eluded him throughout his stellar career and after going so close in 2014, this is shaping up as his last chance at completing his trophy cabinet.

The markets for this are forecasting a very tight contest and with the way both sides have advanced to the final, it is going to be very tough for punters to split them.

Argentina overcame a rough opening match when they were stunned by Saudi Arabia to rattle off  five straight wins and while they did ride their luck at times, they held their nerve better than their opponents.

As for France, they also lost one match during the group stage but that came on Matchday 3 when they fielded a severely weakened side.

In the knockout stage, they rolled through Poland, England and Morocco however there are still concerns about their defensive stability with only one clean sheet throughout the tournament and even then, Morocco still created plenty of havoc.

These sides met in the 2018 World Cup in the Round of 16 with the French winning a 4-3 epic and another high scoring encounter appears to be on the cards.

Considering some of the best attacking talent in the world will be on display, not to mention Messi and Mbappe’s penchant for pulling out miraculous moments seemingly from nothing, it’s tough to see either team being able to keep a clean sheet.

Messi is almost a must-back as an anytime goalscorer as he has featured heavily throughout the tournament and looks to be a very likely winner of the Golden Ball for best player.

For the French, the temptation is to go for Mbappe, however Olivier Giroud is the player who offers value.

While not the biggest name in the French lineup, he has a knack for scoring in big games for club and country, after all, he is France’s all time leading goalscorer.

Now for the tough call, which team will lift the trophy.

France is the better team on paper but after their first up defeat, this Argentine side has been on a mission.

While neither side is overly stable at the back, I have far more concerns over the French and their tendency to sit off opponents, which is a very dangerous ploy against Messi.

Extra time and penalties are definitely on the cards with two sides that match up against one another like this, so the “To Lift the Trophy” market is the way to go.

It’s a choice partly influenced by the head and partly influenced by the heart, but it does seem somewhat fitting for Messi’s international career to end with the one trophy he has always wanted.

Back Both Teams to Score @ $1.95

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ $2.35

Back Lionel Messi Anytime Goalscorer @ $2.70

Back Olivier Giroud Anytime Goalscorer @ $3.40

Back Argentina to Lift the Trophy @ $1.90