ALEX CROOK PREVIEW: World Cup 2026

Star Sports Ambassador Alex Crook Previews the 2026 FIFA World Cup: England’s Chances, Tournament Favourites and Betting Tips

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The domestic football season may only just have ended but the biggest ever World Cup is now just a matter of days away.

While the presence of 48 nations, only 16 of whom will NOT make it to the round of 32, means the tournament may get off to a slow burner it will soon start to heat up in sizzling North America.

Even at this early stage of proceedings there is potential for some intriguing matches early in the knockout rounds such as an all-South American battle between holders Argentina and Uruguay and the mighty Brazil against Japan, being touted by many as possible dark horses.

There is also a heady mix of World Cup debutants ranging from minnow nations like Cape Verde and Curacao to world superstars like Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal, assuming the Spanish teenage sensation can shrug off his injury worries.

Let’s start our in-depth preview with those nations at the top of the betting where two European heavyweights, France and Spain, find themselves joint 9/2 favourites with starsports.bet.

The case for Spain completing their second European Championship/World Cup double is a pretty compelling one.

This is a team who have simply forgotten how it feels to lose having gone, excluding penalty shootouts, 33 matches unbeaten.

But the fitness doubts over Yamal, such a key part of their Euros success, Nico Williams and Rodri, coupled with the absence of experienced campaigner Dani Carvajal raises doubts in my mind about backing Luis De La Fuente’s side.

France, meanwhile, are bidding to send the departing Didier Deschamps out on a high by going one better than their dramatic cup final defeat to Argentina four years ago.

Deschamps’ natural pragmatism means Le Blues are likely to be defensively stubborn even if Arsenal’s William Saliba is not fully fit and they arguably have the most star-studded attack with Kylian Mbappe supplemented by the likes of Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola and Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele among others.

Olise has enjoyed a stellar club season at Bayern Munich and is my tip for the Player of the Tournament, although a tricky looking group pairing them against free-scoring Norway and Senegal, maybe the best of the African contingent, would put me off backing current 5/1 Golden Boot favourite Mbappe.

England are third favourites at 7/1 with starsports.bet to finally get their hands on the trophy for the first time since 1966.

I haven’t been overly impressed with what they have served up so far under Thomas Tuchel, but the German knows how to navigate his way through a knockout competition, albeit at club level.

I think England will at least reach the quarter-finals, where, if a complicated draw goes to plan, they are likely to meet Brazil in scorching temperatures in Miami.

That could be where the dream of emulating the boys of 1966 dies but this is not by any means a vintage Brazilian side and they will be banking on the skills of boss Carlo Ancelotti for a repeat of their 1994 World Cup triumph on US soil.

England’s chances of going deep into the tournament rest largely on the shoulders of Harry Kane, who looks fitter and sharper than he did at the Euros and has put obscene numbers on the board at Bayern in terms of goal contributions.

The top-scorer is often decided by what happens in the group stage and with England up against an aging Croatia, a Ghana side who did not even qualify for AFCON and Panama, I really like Kane at 6/1 with starsports.bet to win the Golden Boot.

At longer odds of 28/1 with starsports.bet Argentina’s Julian Alvarez is well worth an each-way play. The former Manchester City ace was only outscored by teammate Lionel Messi and Mbappe in Qatar and can take advantage of the reigning champions soft draw in J, where Austria are likely to serve up their toughest test.

Only two teams have ever retained the World Cup and it has not been done since 1962. It just feels to me like Messi had his crowning moment four years ago and I think the holders are easy to oppose.

I don’t fancy Germany either as they are still in a transitional period so that brings me on to 10/1 shots Portugal.

Roberto Martinez finds himself at the helm of probably the most talented Portuguese squad ever, but needs to manage the game time and ego of an aging Cristiano Ronaldo far better than he did in Germany two years ago.

If he does that and allows Portugal to flourish as a collective, then I fancy them to reach the final at 5/1 with starsports.bet .

Everybody loves tipping up a dark horse and with doubts about many of the major nations this might be the perfect time for some unexpected results.

I like the claims of Japan and Turkiye. The former have picked up some notable scalps including Brazil, Germany and England over the past couple of years and also beat both Spain and Germany in Qatar.

Their fans and Football Federation harbour genuine hopes of going all the way, but I will be a little more conservative by backing Japan to be the best Asian/Oceanian team at 10/11 with starsports.bet.

I also think there is value in Turkiye to win Group D at 7/4 with starsports.bet as uninspiring hosts the USA are weak favourites at 11/8 in my opinion.

Finally I have to turn the spotlight on Scotland, playing at their first World Cup since France ‘98.

They are 8/11 with starsports.bet to exit at the round of 32, but even beating debutants Haiti may not be enough to end their hoodoo of having not got out of the group as it could come down to goal difference in two other tricky games against Brazil and Morocco.

I still think Steve Clarke’s side, lacking a real goalscorer, to go out in the group at 2/1 with starsports.bet could be good value, especially if they fail to win their Boston opener handsomely.

I also like Scott McTominay to be the Scots’ top-scorer at 3/1 with starsports.bet as it may not take many goals to come out on top in that market given their lack of firepower and Clarke’s natural cautiousness on the tournament stage.

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RECOMMENDED SELECTIONS
BACK Japan to be the best Asian/Oceanian team 3pts at 10/11 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK France to win the World Cup 2pts at 9/2 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Turkiye to win Group D 1.5pts at 7/4 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Portugal to reach the final 1pt at 5/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Harry Kane to win the Golden Boot 1pt at 6/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Scotland to be eliminated in the group stage 1pt at 2/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Scott McTominay to be Scotland’s top-scorer 1pt at 3/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Julian Alvarez to win the Golden Boot ew 0.5pts at 28/1 (⭐ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

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