GROUP A

Qatar

Best bet: To qualify from Group A

There has only been one host nation in World Cup history that has failed to make it out of the group.

Ecuador

Best bet: Under 3.5 group goals

Ecuador have scored one goal in their last five matches, while they haven’t netted more than once in a match in 11.

Senegal

Best bet: Ismaila Sarr to be top Senegal goalscorer

With Sadio Mane unlikely to play every game, or not be fully fit if he does, the burden of goalscoring will fall on someone else. Sarr was an ever-present in qualifying and has the quality to carry his team in the absence of their talisman.

Netherlands

Best bet: To win all three group games

Netherlands are odds-on to win their group, so you would expect them to win at least two of their three matches. They should be capable of winning all three.

GROUP B

England

Best bet: To be eliminated at the quarter final

Since 2002, England have gone out in the last eight in four of their nine tournaments. Add to that a likely meeting with France or Denmark this time around and 5/2 looks a good price.

Iran

Best bet: Fourth place in the group

This will be Iran’s sixth World Cup, but they have never made it further than the group stage. Given that they will likely be without star man Serdar Azmoun for at least the start of the tournament, it’s hard to get excited about them.

USA

Best bet: Under 3.5 group goals

USA lack an effective focal point in attack. They will come up against a defensive-minded Iran and England.

Wales

Best bet: Gareth Bale to be top Wales goalscorer

Bale has netted six goals in his last seven starts for Wales, just under half of the team’s entire goals for that period. Their tactic in Qatar will be: give the ball to Bale and see what he can do.

GROUP C

Argentina

Best bet: Winner

They are in the best form, having not lost in 35 matches, and have the best player, who has scored 21 goals in 22 matches. They should tune up nicely with nine points in the group.

Saudi Arabia

Best bet: Finish on zero points

Saudi Arabia have taken just five points from their previous four World Cup appearances. Their only victory in 2018 came from a stoppage-time penalty in their final game and this group is unlikely to be as charitable.

Mexico

Best bet: Top North American team

Mexico have made it to the last 16 in each of the last seven World Cups. USA, Canada and Costa Rica’s chances of progression, meanwhile, remain in the balance at best.

Poland

Best bet: To finish third in Group C

Poland have got out of the group stage once in their last six major tournaments. In a group alongside Argentina and Mexico, the outlook isn’t good for a side struggling for quality outside of Robert Lewandowski.

GROUP D

France

Best bet: To finish second in Group D

France have lost their World Cup-winning midfield and face competition for top spot in Denmark, who beat them twice in the Nations League this year.

Australia

Best bet: Finish on one point

It took two separate play-off games, and a penalty win over Peru, to get Australia to Qatar, after they floundered in the Asian qualifiers. A point against Tunisia is the best they can hope for.

Denmark

Best bet: To reach the quarter final

Denmark should be considered serious players at the World Cup and this is a great price for them to reach the last eight

They were one of the stories of Euro 2020 as they made it to the semi-finals and if they can top the group – they took four points off France in the most recent Nations League – the draw could open up for them.

Tunisia

Best bet: Finish on one point

A lack of attacking instinct will make it very hard for them to trouble two of Europe’s powerhouses. Unlike in 2018, they don’t have Panama to take three points from.

GROUP E

Spain

Best bet: Under 8.5 tournament goals

Spain haven’t scored nine or more goals at a World Cup since 2006 in Germany and only managed eight when they won the trophy in 2010.

Luis Enrique’s side have been drawn into one of the toughest groups in Qatar and haven’t scored more than two in a game in their last six matches.

Costa Rica

Best bet: Lowest-scoring team at the tournament

The lowest-scoring team has scored a maximum of one goal in every World Cup other than in 2018, and it’s hard to see Costa Rica topping that.

Very little regeneration has happened since Costa Rica’s run to the quarter-final in 2014 and eight years on they find themselves in arguably an even tougher group.

Germany

Best bet: Leroy Sane to be Germany’s top goalscorer

Sane has scored 10 goals in 19 appearances for Bayern Munich this season. Given that Germany lack a real focal point in attack, he will play in a fluid front three and represents great value.

Japan

Best bet: Over 2.5 group goals

Japan’s style of play mean they will create chances against any team. In their last seven matches they have scored two against USA, three against South Korea, six against Hong Kong and four against Paraguay.

GROUP F

Belgium

Best bet: To finish second in Group F

Outside of Thibaut Courtois and Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium’s star quality looks massively lacking compared to recent tournaments. They should have enough to qualify, but it won’t be a foregone conclusion.

Canada

Best bet: Jonathan David to be top Canada goalscorer

David was the second-highest scorer in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, with nine goals in 14 matches. He also ranks fifth for goals in Ligue 1 after scoring nine for Lille this season.

Morocco

Best bet: Over 2.5 group goals

Despite their difficult draw, Morocco do have star quality in Hakim Ziyech, Youssef En-Nesyri, Sofiane Boufal, Ilias Chair and Achraf Hakimi that can hurt even the best teams.

They have only failed to score in two of their last 26 matches.

Croatia

Best bet: To finish first in Group F

Their main competition for this spot is Belgium, whose squad is not as star-studded as it has been in the previous World Cup and European Championships.

Croatia also proved that they can mix it with the best recently, taking 10 points from home and away matches against France and Denmark in the Nations League.

GROUP G

Brazil

Best bet: To finish first in Group G

Brazil are a similar price to win their group as they are to reach the quarter-final. Given that they have won their group every time they have appeared at a World Cup, this feels a more sensible call.

Serbia

Best bet: Aleksandar Mitrovic to be top Serbia goalscorer

Mitrovic is the man for the big occasion for Serbia. He top-scored for his country in qualifying with eight, has netted seven in his last 10 international appearances and has previous World Cup experience.

Add in nine goals in 12 appearances in all competitions for Fulham this season and this looks a decent bet.

Switzerland

Best bet: To reach the quarter final

Switzerland came back from 3-1 down against France to beat them on penalties and make it to the last eight in the Euros last year. They then took Spain all the way to penalties before going out, so they are not to be taken lightly.

Cameroon

Best bet: To finish on zero points

Cameroon have lost to South Korea, Uzbekistan and Equatorial Guinea in the lead up to the World Cup.

The Indomitable Lions lost all three group games in both of their previous World Cups in 2010 and 2014, and a tough group draw here means it’s likely to be a similar story.

GROUP H

Portugal

Best bet: Bruno Fernandes to be top Portugal goalscorer

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored just three times in 18 for club and country and twice in eight for Portugal, so better value can be found elsewhere. Fernandes is close to being a guaranteed starter and, playing just behind the centre forward, should get enough opportunities.

Ghana

Best bet: Under 2.5 tournament goals

Ghana scored more than one goal in just one of their eight qualifying matches against South Africa, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. In Qatar, they will face considerably tougher opposition.

Uruguay

Best bet: To finish first in Group H

Portugal are Uruguay’s main competition here, but an ageing squad and murmurings of discontent within their camp could leave it more open than this price suggests. It’s also worth noting that Portugal have failed to win their group in any of their last six major tournaments.

South Korea

Best bet: Son Heung-min to be top South Korea goalscorer

Son has been included in South Korea’s squad despite a facial injury and will play with a protective mask at the tournament. He top scored for his country in qualifying, with seven, and is the person who everything will go through.

*Odds subject to change.

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