Odds to Win Overall and World Ranking
Best betting odds available, and FIFA ranking, as of May 20. Top seeds listed first. Round-robin format; top two advance to the knockout round.
| Odds to Win | Group A | Overall | Rank |
| Russia | 15-8 | 50-1 | 66 |
| Uruguay | 1-1 | 35-1 | 17 |
| Egypt | 15-2 | 150-1 | 46 |
| Saudi Arabia | 50-1 | 2,000-1 | 67 |
Russia is a top seed as host, despite being the second-lowest ranked team in the entire field. The lowest is Saudi Arabia, also in this group, along with Egypt, the weakest #3 seed. If I didn’t have complete faith in FIFA and the Russian athletic system, …
| Odds to Win | Group B | Overall | Rank |
| Portugal | 9-4 | 28-1 | 4 |
| Spain | 8-15 | 13-2 | 8 |
| Iran | 35-1 | 750-1 | 36 |
| Morocco | 20-1 | 750-1 | 42 |
A totally lopsided group on paper, but co-favorites and Iberian neighbors Spain and Portugal meet on the first full day; the loser will have no room for error in the next two games.
| Odds to Win | Group C | Overall | Rank |
| France | 4-9 | 7-1 | 7 |
| Peru | 12-1 | 250-1 | 11 |
| Denmark | 11-2 | 100-1 | 12 |
| Australia | 22-1 | 500-1 | 40 |
This is one of the “Groups of Death” – France is one of the tournament favorites, Peru is very good and Denmark is likely the best of the “third-best” teams, and Australia the best of the fourth-bests.
| Odds to Win | Group D | Overall | Rank |
| Argentina | 8-11 | 11-1 | 5 |
| Croatia | 13-5 | 35-1 | 18 |
| Iceland | 16-1 | 300-1 | 22 |
| Nigeria | 11-1 | 250-1 | 47 |
Argentina will advance, and Croatia is a heavy favorite to take the other qualifying spot, but Euro2016 sensation Iceland, and perennial African powerhouse Nigeria will be tough.
| Odds to Win | Group E | Overall | Rank |
| Brazil | 2-5 | 4-1 | 2 |
| Switzerland | 13-2 | 150-1 | 6 |
| Costa Rica | 22-1 | 750-1 | 25 |
| Serbia | 9-1 | 250-1 | 35 |
The other Group of Death: Brazil is the overall favorite, Switzerland’s #6 in the world, Serbia’s good, and Costa Rica is a chronic overachiever, and as a neighbor, a good pick for Americans needing a team to root for; they’ll field eight MLS-based players.
| Odds to Win | Group F | Overall | Rank |
| Germany | 4-9 | 5-1 | 1 |
| Mexico | 6-1 | 125-1 | 15 |
| Sweden | 8-1 | 200-1 | 23 |
| South Korea | 20-1 | 750-1 | 61 |
America’s other home team, Mexico’s tricolor, should battle Sweden for the second spot alongside top-ranked Germany, with dogged South Korea a potential spoiler.
| Odds to Win | Group G | Overall | Rank |
| Belgium | 5-6 | 12-1 | 3 |
| England | 11-8 | 20-1 | 13 |
| Tunisia | 20-1 | 1,000-1 | 14 |
| Panama | 50-1 | 2,000-1 | 55 |
Despite Tunisia’s lofty and mysterious world ranking, it’ll be a stunner if Belgium and England don’t advance out of this group. USA fans will have mixed feelings about first-timer Panama, who edged us out of a spot in qualifying.
| Odds to Win | Group H | Overall | Rank |
| Poland | 2-1 | 80-1 | 10 |
| Colombia | 7-4 | 50-1 | 16 |
| Senegal | 5-1 | 300-1 | 28 |
| Japan | 38-5 | 400-1 | 60 |
Perhaps the most balanced group: Poland is unconvincing as a top seed; Colombia is very good but mercurial, Senegal is a bit of an unknown, coming out of a weak qualifying group, and Japan tends to outperform expectations.
Overall Betting Favorites and World Rankings
Best betting odds available, and FIFA ranking, as of May 27.
Some highly ranked teams are not respected by the bookies. Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Peru, and Tunisia look like the bargains, if you believe FIFA rankings (which no one does), or the most over-rated, if you believe the bettors.
| Odds to Win | Group | Overall | Rank |
| Brazil | 2-5 | 4-1 | 2 |
| Germany | 4-9 | 5-1 | 1 |
| Spain | 8-15 | 13-2 | 8 |
| France | 4-9 | 7-1 | 7 |
| Argentina | 8-11 | 11-1 | 5 |
| Belgium | 5-6 | 12-1 | 3 |
| England | 11-8 | 20-1 | 13 |
| Portugal | 9-4 | 28-1 | 4 |
| Uruguay | 1-1 | 35-1 | 17 |
| Croatia | 13-5 | 35-1 | 18 |
| Colombia | 7-4 | 50-1 | 16 |
| Russia | 15-8 | 50-1 | 66 |
| Poland | 2-1 | 80-1 | 10 |
| Denmark | 11-2 | 100-1 | 12 |
| Mexico | 6-1 | 125-1 | 15 |
| Switzerland | 13-2 | 150-1 | 6 |
| Egypt | 15-2 | 150-1 | 46 |
| Sweden | 8-1 | 200-1 | 23 |
| Peru | 12-1 | 250-1 | 11 |
| Serbia | 9-1 | 250-1 | 35 |
| Nigeria | 11-1 | 250-1 | 47 |
| Iceland | 16-1 | 300-1 | 22 |
| Senegal | 5-1 | 300-1 | 28 |
| Japan | 38-5 | 400-1 | 60 |
| Australia | 22-1 | 500-1 | 40 |
| Costa Rica | 22-1 | 750-1 | 25 |
| Iran | 35-1 | 750-1 | 36 |
| Morocco | 20-1 | 750-1 | 42 |
| South Korea | 20-1 | 750-1 | 61 |
| Tunisia | 20-1 | 1,000-1 | 14 |
| Panama | 50-1 | 2,000-1 | 55 |
| Saudi Arabia | 50-1 | 2,000-1 | 67 |
This article appears in June 1 • 2018.