USMNT Popular at Sportsbooks While France and Spain Hold the Odds

Despite being considered a longshot to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the United States national team is attracting significant interest from bettors, with sportsbooks reporting substantial wagering activity on the host nation ahead of the tournament’s opening matches. The expanded World Cup, being held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, begins on Thursday and features 48 teams competing for football’s most prestigious prize.

While bookmakers continue to rank traditional European powers among the leading contenders, many American fans appear willing to back their national team despite the long odds. At major sportsbooks including BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, and DraftKings, the United States is listed between 40-1 and 60-1 to lift the trophy. By contrast, defending and recent European champions such as France national football team and Spain national football team remain among the bookmakers’ favourites to win the tournament.

Part of the optimism surrounding the American side has been fuelled by comparisons to one of the country's most celebrated sporting upsets. A promotional campaign featuring Mike Eruzione, captain of the United States hockey team that stunned the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics, has drawn parallels between that historic achievement and the possibility of a surprise World Cup triumph on home soil.

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Not everyone in the betting community is convinced. Veteran handicapper Bruce Marshall expressed reservations about the United States' chances and questioned the impact of head coach Mauricio Pochettino. While Pochettino has managed top European clubs including Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, Marshall argued that his reputation may exceed his achievements and said he was not persuaded by the team's recent 3-2 friendly victory over Senegal.

Even so, sportsbooks continue to receive wagers backing the Americans. Much of the money appears driven by patriotic enthusiasm rather than analytical expectations, with fans hoping the host nation can produce a memorable run deep into the competition.

For bookmakers, that support carries a degree of financial risk. Should the United States defy expectations and capture its first World Cup title, sportsbooks could face substantial payouts due to the team's relatively long odds. While France, Spain and other established powers remain the favourites on paper, betting activity suggests many fans are willing to believe another American sporting miracle may yet be possible.

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