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Brazil and England are both expected to top their groups, but in each case there is also a clear second favourite to qualify with them
| World Cup Dual Forecasts | Odds |
|---|---|
| Group C - Brazil & Morocco | 1.75 |
| Group L - England & Croatia | 1.45 |
Odds courtesy of Bet9ja. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
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Underdogs set to struggle against proven tournament teams
The 2026 World Cup draw served up a range of different groups. Those featuring the host nations are set up to be open, with none of the outright tournament favourites present. However, there will also be several apparent mismatches during the competition's opening phase.
The new format means teams will start with very different objectives. Teams like England and Brazil will aim to clinch top spot in their groups and secure a potentially smoother knockout path. Meanwhile, many of the outsiders will want to secure progress as one of the best eight third-placed sides.
In Group C and Group L, Scotland, Haiti, Ghana, and Panama may fall into the latter category. That should leave the remaining four teams battling for the top two positions.
Brazil have a 91.5% chance of finishing in the top two in Group C, while Morocco’s prospects stand at 68.8%. It’s a similar dynamic in Group L, where England have a 92.7% chance of securing first or second place. Meanwhile, Croatia are given a 65.4% shot of guaranteeing their knockout ticket with a top-two finish.
Both groups include rank outsiders such as Haiti and Panama. Those nations benefited from the absence of the USA, Mexico, and Canada from CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. Stepping up from matches against the likes of El Salvador and Nicaragua to the elite level won’t be easy.
Faced with some proven contenders on the biggest stage, they may do well to even clinch a point. It’s very hard to foresee a scenario where either pushes for a top-two position.
Will the two favourites control Groups C and L?
In Group C, Scotland are the only team likely to stop Brazil and Morocco from claiming the top spots. They won their final friendlies 4-1 against Curacao and 4-0 against Bolivia to boost morale.
However, all of their goals came against 10 men against Curacao. Meanwhile, Bolivia are well-known for their inability to perform when not playing at altitude in their homeland.
Playing Brazil in the World Cup in Miami will be a very different challenge for the Scots. Carlo Ancelotti is now at the helm for the Selecao, and he has real quality to work with. Not since 1966 have the South Americans been knocked out at the first stage, and that shouldn’t change this year.
Current AFCON Champions Morocco arrive at the tournament as a more complete team than Scotland. They conceded just five goals in seven matches at the 2022 World Cup. They’ve not lost any of their past 29 fixtures in regulation time.
Like Morocco, Croatia were also semi-finalists in Qatar, not to mention runners-up in Russia in 2018. Such a long run is unlikely in 2026, given that this is now an ageing side. However, that tournament know-how and experience could prove decisive when they take on Ghana.
The West Africans are the team best positioned to prevent the European sides from locking out first and second in Group L. However, they are clear underdogs in their fixtures against both England and Croatia.
The Three Lions didn’t concede a goal in eight matches in qualifying, winning the lot. Even when Thomas Tuchel’s side fails to fire as a team, individual talent still frequently makes the difference.
Croatia also impressed with seven wins from eight outings, booking their place at another World Cup. Continuity is the key, with the hugely successful Zlatko Dalic still at the helm.
With the expected top two sides in both groups blessed with so much experience, betting on a dual-forecast double offers value. You can back Brazil, Morocco, England, and Croatia to all seal top-two finishes with an implied probability of 41.5%.