FIFA World Cup 2026 Futures and Games Picks Thread

With just under 2 weeks to kick off of the largest world cup ever featuring 104 matches I will share all of my wagers in this thread. 

I will post my opinion and future plays group by group as the tournament nears. I shall also pick and play every game along with leans throughout the tournament. There are several new rules that will affect my wagers so hopefully before the books adjust we can take advantage. A GK now has only 5 seconds for a goal kick otherwise a corner is awarded to the other side. Only captains can speak to the referee all others will receive yellow cards. Players covering their mouths making offensive comments will be red carded. If a substituted players cent get off the field in 10 seconds his replacement has to wait 1 minute to be able to get on the pitch. VAR will now also be used to award corners. All that being said I think we see more corners and cards being awarded then usual. I will take those on a game by game basis depending on the referees assigned to a certain match. 

GROUP A

MEX

KOR

CZE

RSA

1. Mexico to win the group @ 2.00/+100 (2u)

2. Mexico to reach Round of 16 @ 2.25/+125 (1u)

3. Raul Jimenez top team goal scorer @ 4.00/+300 (1/2 u)

4. Ochoa to win Golden glove @ 81.00/+8000 (1/2 u)

I really cant believe the value you get here at Mexico at evens to win this group. I see them as a true dark horse with a potential meeting versus England in Mexico City in the round of 16 where anything can happen. Up to that point Mexico have a cake walk of a schedule all at home and at elevation for the most part. Mexico's manager has had the core of is Liga MX players released early as well as some European players released early by their club teams to start camp almost a month before their opening game. The Mexican keeper, the legend Memo Ochoa will turn 41 during this tournament and if he is to start which I believe he will in his 6th world cup joining Ronaldo and Messi. He was born in Guadalajara so I really think he puts on a show there versus South Korea. Usually you need to get to the final 4 to get a golden glove award and no one has one more then one. I can cross out previous winners MartineZ (ARG) Neuer (GER) and Curtois (BEL) and if Mexico can make a run which I think they can "Memo" at these odds is a great bet with pizza money. Raul Jimenez of Fulham is the primary penalty taker for Mexico and is worth a shot at being their top team goal scorer.

Group A -- Remaining thoughts

I will be fading all of these three teams regardless of who makes it out in second and/or 3rd place in the next round.

KOREA - Hong Myung-bo the manager is a classic case of a former great player and a bad manager with his simple 4-2-3-1 formation that most of his team does not play at club level thus it might echo what he has accomplished when he was the manager of the national squad in the world cup in Brazil. An early exit and a 4-2 drubbing to Algeria. He was begged to come back after the grifter Klinsmann was fired after the Asian Cup.

CZECHIA - If it was not for some dumb rules in qualification where they were awarded 2 home playoff qualification games both which went to penalties where they took out Ireland and Denmark both which would have been better sides on a neutral field. The side has horseshoes up their behinds. One has to remember this side lost to the Faroe Islands in qualification .Set pieces are their strength that should get them out of this group.

SOUTH AFRICA - Odds on favourite to finish bottom but will they?. This side have only one class player in center forward Lyle Foster of Burnley. He has scored 10 goals for the national side and I will be tempted to bet on him if healthy as an anytime goal scorer versus the likes of Korea and Czechia. Unfortunately when you have 8 players that play for the Orlando Pirates in the domestic league named in the squad there is pretty slim hopes for much progress. 

DJ  VERY HELPFUL , BOL 

Nice write up. I like it.  

@Barbarossa

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