France are the World Cup favourites, as they overtook Spain. La Roja suffered a great shock as debutants Cape Verde held them to a goalless draw.
| 2026 World Cup | Odds |
|---|---|
| France to win third title | 5.00 |
Odds courtesy of Tonybet. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
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Les Bleus take centre stage
France opened their World Cup campaign with a statement win. Kylian Mbappe's second‑half brace powered Les Bleus past Senegal 3-1 in New Jersey, avoiding a repeat of their shock 2002 defeat to the Lions of Teranga.
Their performance was far from perfect, as the first half ended in a slow, goalless draw. However, Didier Deschamps’ half-time talk probably motivated them. The second period was a different story. France recorded an xG value of 1.75 after the break, with eight of their 10 shots on target.
Mbappe opened the scoring with an impressive low finish after a brilliant assist by Michael Olise. World Cup debutant Bradley Barcola doubled the lead with a delightful chip. The 23-year-old became the youngest Frenchman to score on his World Cup debut since 20-year-old Thierry Henry in 1998.
However, minutes after Senegal pulled one back via Ibrahim Mbaye’s fantastic solo strike, Mbappe unleashed a worldie in the dying minutes.
Mbappe increased his World Cup tally to 14 goals thanks to his brace. As a result, he is now level with Germany's Gerd Muller for third place on the all‑time list, behind only Ronaldo (15) and the duo of Miroslav Klose and Lionel Messi (16).
Consequently, the Real Madrid marksman also surpassed Olivier Giroud to become France's all‑time leading scorer with 58 international strikes. At just 27, he is averaging 1.03 goals per 90 minutes at the World Cup.
France’s squad depth is stunning. Michael Olise, who scored a hat‑trick in France's final warm-up game against Northern Ireland, started on the right wing. Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembele featured as the attacking midfielder. On the bench, Rayan Cherki joins a talented list of players such as Marcus Thuram, Desire Doue, and Jean‑Philippe Mateta.
France’s impressive squad is why they are now the team to beat, particularly after Mbappe’s heroics against Senegal.
Spain's goalless draw with Cape Verde in Group H accelerated the shift. The European champions were held to a draw by the 67th‑ranked debutants, raising immediate concerns about their title credentials.
By contrast, France delivered against arguably the strongest team from the African continent. They have now moved from second favourites to outright favourites.
The value in backing France’s third World Cup title
France are priced at 5.00 (4/1) to win the 2026 World Cup. That is a generous price for a team with this much quality.
The attacking depth at Deschamps’ disposal is unrivalled. Mbappe is chasing history, aiming to break all major World Cup scoring records. Olise is coming off a fantastic season for Bayern Munich.
The technically brilliant Cherki is waiting in the wings to showcase his skills. Dembele, the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, Doue, and Barcola all carry the momentum from back-to-back Champions League wins. Thuram helped Inter Milan lift their 21st Scudetto, while Mateta led Crystal Palace to the Conference League trophy.
There are game changers everywhere you look in France’s lineup. Deschamps has the luxury of rotating without losing quality. No other squad can match that firepower in the final third. That may ultimately be what makes the difference.
Within the tournament's most challenging group, France's path is favourable after their opening victory over Senegal. Group I opponents Norway and Iraq are beatable.
Norway comfortably beat Iraq 4-1 in the first round. Although they have plenty of talented players, led by Erling Haaland, France are favourites to win. Iraq are outsiders in this group.
A top‑of‑the‑group finish sets up a knockout bracket that avoids the other heavyweights until the final stages of the tournament.
The bookmakers have overlooked Spain after one of the great World Cup upsets saw Cape Verde hold Spain to a 0-0 draw. Comparisons with the 2010 edition are inevitable. La Roja lost their opening match that year against Switzerland and still lifted the trophy. That may be a likely scenario once again.
Les Bleus have demonstrated an ability to grind out results even when not at their best. The first half against Senegal was poor, yet they still managed to win. That resilience, combined with their attacking firepower, makes them a formidable proposition for World Cup glory.
France have the talent, squad depth and the momentum. Backing Les Bleus to lift a third World Cup is a bet on one of the most complete squads in the tournament.