Free Bracket Pool – Live Game or Printable

Build a free 2026 World Cup bracket pool with no sign-up required and prediction-market odds shown on every match, then share a link to compete in a private pool with friends or climb the public leaderboard. You can also opt for a paper copy with our printable World Cup brackets with the groups filled in. If you are interested in trading, check out our list of World Cup prediction promos.

World Cup Round of 16 Qualifier Odds

Spain, France, England, and Brazil are among the favorites to qualify for the Round of 16 at the World Cup this summer. Prediction markets also give the USA and Mexico a strong chance of reaching the last 16, but traders think Canada could struggle to join them. Our 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 qualifier odds tracker aggregates live pricing from Kalshi, Polymarket, and Gemini, with a historical timeline on how each country is performing and who is most likely to make it.

You’ll find odds on each team’s chances of reaching the qualifier stage at the top prediction sites. European and South American heavyweights lead the way. The USA and Mexico are given a better than 50/50 chance, while Canada is below that bar. The key contenders and some interesting long shots are featured below.

Latest Round of 16 odds as of: May 27, 2026

Who will reach the Round of 16?

This summer’s World Cup will feature a record 48 teams, from Spain and Argentina to Cape Verde and Uzbekistan. Only a third of them will reach the Round of 16. We’ve rounded up the leading contenders below.

World Cup Round of 16 favorites

These are the strongest teams that will be competing at the 2026 World Cup this summer. It would be a major shock if any of them failed to qualify for the Round of 16.

• France: Les Bleus are the outright favorites to win the World Cup, as the roster is stacked with elite players like Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, and William Saliba.
• Spain: The reigning European champion is on a 33-game unbeaten streak, so Spain will be surging with momentum at the World Cup.
• England: The Three Lions have reached the Round of 16 at their last five major tournaments, with captain Harry Kane leading the charge.
• Brazil: Legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti has taken charge of an immensely talented Brazil squad, featuring world-class players like Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha, Gabriel Magalhães, and Alisson Becker.
• Argentina: La Albiceleste are the reigning world champions and South American champions, and they have more than enough quality to go deep into this tournament.
• Germany: The Germans crashed out in the group stage at the last two World Cups, but they have a very strong starting XI, featuring the likes of Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, plus veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. A 7-1 win against Curaçao on Matchday 1 was ominous for Germany’s rivals.
• Portugal: This Portugal team looks like a serious contender to win the World Cup, with Vitinha, João Neves, Bruno Fernandes, and Bernardo Silva forming an outrageously talented midfield.
• Belgium: The Belgians have regressed in recent years, but they should win Group G with ease before beating a third-place team in the Round of 32.
• Netherlands: The Oranje have a world-class defense, led by Virgil Van Dijk, plus elite players in midfield and on the wings. They only drew 2-2 with Japan on Matchday 1, but it would be a major upset if they failed to reach the Round of 16.
• Mexico: Mexico will benefit from strong home support at this tournament, and they beat South Africa 2-0 in their opening game. If El Tri wins Group A, they will face a third-place team in the Round of 32, and they really should win. If they finish second, they’ll probably face Canada in the Round of 32 and be favored.

The USA, Switzerland, Colombia, and Norway all have a strong chance of qualifying for the Round of 16, too. Norway is one of the World Cup favorites, but it landed in a difficult group alongside France and Senegal. If the Norwegians escape that group, they should have enough firepower to go pretty deep into this tournament, with Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard leading the charge.

Round of 16 long shots and value plays

You can unlock more value by backing longer shots to reach the Round of 16. Here are the five most compelling options:

• Switzerland: The Swiss have a clear path to the Round of 16. They should finish ahead of Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Qatar in their group, before beating a third-place team in the Round of 32. Switzerland drew 1-1 with Qatar in its opening game after missing several glorious chances, but Canada also drew with Bosnia and Herzegovina, leaving all four teams level on one point apiece.
• Colombia: The Colombians should have no trouble securing a top-two finish in Group K, ahead of DR Congo and Uzbekistan. Even if they finish second to Portugal, their most likely opponent in the Round of 32 is Croatia, and they have enough quality to win that game.
• USA: The USMNT has a pretty clear path to the Round of 16. Team USA should finish first or second in Group D, and it would be the clear favorite to win its Round of 32 game. Mauricio Pochettino’s men thumped Paraguay 4-1 in their opener, so they’re surging with momentum right now.
• Türkiye: Türkiye still has a decent chance of clinching a top-two finish in Group D, along with the USMNT. The Turks have elite players like Kenan Yildiz and Arda Güler in their ranks, so they could go reasonably deep into this tournament. They lost 2-0 to Australia in their opening game, despite having 63% of the possession and a remarkable 28 shots on goal, so they need to be more clinical in attack moving forwards.
• South Korea: The Taegeuk Warriors should finish first or second in Group A, and they have more than enough quality to beat whoever they face in the Round of 32. They battled to a 2-1 victory over Czechia in their first game, which leaves them well placed to reach the knockout stage of the tournament.

Uruguay is another leading contender to reach the Round of 16. The team has a world-class midfielder in Federico Valverde, plus several dangerous forwards. However, if Uruguay finishes second to Spain in Group H, it is highly likely to face reigning world champion Argentina in the Round of 32. Beating Argentina would be very difficult for Uruguay.

Japan could also land a nightmare Round of 32 clash with Brazil if it finishes second to the Netherlands in Group F. The Japanese beat Spain and Germany at the last World Cup, before losing to Croatia on penalties in the Round of 16. They have a talented squad, but beating Brazil would be a tall order.

How each team qualifies for Round of 16

The 2026 World Cup features an expanded format, as the field has now been increased from 32 teams to 48 teams. This is how each team can clinch a place in the Round of 16:

• The teams have been divided into 12 groups. Each group features four teams, and they will play each other once in the group stage.
• At the end of the group stage, the top two teams in each group will automatically qualify for the Round of 16.
• The eight best third-place teams will also advance to the Round of 32 (the teams with the most points, or the best goal differences).
• The World Cup knockout stage then begins with the Round of 32. It’s a single-elimination bracket, so only 16 teams will advance to the next round.

There’s a clear incentive for teams to win their groups, as it should lead to an easier Round of 32 clash. The 12 group winners are all highly likely to advance to the Round of 16, as they should face relatively straightforward Round of 32 games.

How to trade Round of 16 prediction markets

Prediction sites let you buy contracts on whether a certain team will reach the World Cup Round of 16. For example, let’s say you think Norway will qualify for the Round of 16. To make that prediction, follow these steps:

• Visit a prediction site and navigate to the World Cup Round of 16 contract page.
• You might then see these options: “Norway to qualify – yes 54¢, no 47¢.”
• Click “Yes,” and your pick will appear on the slip.
• Enter the amount you’d like to trade. For example, you could enter $100. If so, the site would tell you that you’re buying 186 contracts at 54¢ each.
• Confirm the trade, and the contracts will be added to your account.

After making the trade, you have a couple of options. You could wait to see if Norway reaches the Round of 16. If so, each contract will settle at $1. That means you’ll receive $186, which equates to an $86 profit.

Alternatively, you could sell your contracts early. For instance, if Norway escapes the group stage and lands a favorable Round of 32 draw, you might find that the contracts are worth 86¢. At that point, you could sell all your contracts, earning a healthy profit without waiting to see if Norway wins its Round of 32 game. You could alternatively sell some contracts and leave the rest riding on the result of that match.

Sites like Polymarket and Kalshi are functionally similar to sportsbooks, as they give you the chance to earn a profit by making correct predictions about sports events. However, they’re different from a legal perspective. You aren’t betting against the house. Instead, you’re trading against fellow soccer fans, and the sites take a hosting fee. Sites like Kalshi are federally regulated by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, and it’s legal to buy and sell event contracts on these sites.

Prediction sites with Round of 16 markets

• Kalshi: Kalshi was the first prediction site to launch World Cup Round of 16 qualifiers contracts. Liquidity is still thin, with around $70,000 staked, so the prices can fluctuate dramatically daily. We expect more volume in the build-up to the World Cup, so the price swings should be smaller.
• Polymarket: This popular site has launched a wide range of 2026 World Cup prediction markets. Liquidity is strong, as Polymarket has a large global footprint. Round of 16 contracts haven’t appeared yet, but they should be available soon.
• DraftKings: The sports betting giant expanded into prediction markets in December 2025. You can browse a range of World Cup markets at DraftKings Predictions, which is renowned for offering a beginner-friendly user interface and fast payouts.
• Fanatics: The Florida-based online retailer launched an online sportsbook in 2023, and it now has a prediction site too. Fanatics Markets is offering contracts on the first round of group stage games, and there are also some World Cup futures options.
• Underdog: You can use the Underdog Predict promo code DEFIRATE to claim a $50 welcome bonus at this up-and-coming site. That’s one of the best sign-up bonuses at any prediction site right now.

Other World Cup prediction markets

The leading prediction sites have launched a huge range of World Cup markets. You can make predictions on each game, including the moneyline, spread, totals, and both teams to score. There are several other markets to consider, including:

• World Cup winner: Simply predict which team will win the World Cup. France is the current favorite, ahead of Spain, England, Portugal, Brazil, and Argentina.
• Reach a certain stage: You can predict whether a team will reach the Round of 32, the quarterfinals, the semifinals, or the final, too. The best sites also let you predict which stage each team will be eliminated in.
• Golden Boot: Predict which player will be the top scorer at the World Cup. Kylian Mbappé is the favorite, but he faces competition from Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and other elite forwards. There are futures on other individual awards too, including the Golden Ball (best player), Silver Ball, and Bronze Ball.
• Group winners: You can guess which team will win each of the 12 groups. Some groups look very competitive, including those featuring the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
• World Cup props: There are loads of special markets on the World Cup. For example, you can predict the winning continent, the highest scoring group, the lowest scoring group, the best performing African team, or who will have the most goal contributions between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.