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We’ve reached matchday four of the knockout phase at the 2026 World Cup, as the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina close out a three-match schedule.

Germany and the Netherlands are two nations that suffered monumental upsets in the opening stages of the knockout rounds. Spain, Argentina, and Portugal will take the pitch on matchdays five and six of the Round of 32.

England and Harry Kane’s brace secured a 2-1 victory over DR Congo to start Wednesday’s Round of 32 slate. The Three Lions‘ dramatic comeback win clinched the nation’s fifth all-time advance into the Round of 16.

Powerhouses France, England, and Brazil, along with co-hosts Canada and Mexico, are among the teams already qualified for the Round of 16 who punched their ticket earlier in the week.

Christian Pulisic and Team USA could join their fellow host nations in the next phase of the knockout rounds if they defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina in the nightcap game, in which case they’d face the winner of Belgium vs. Senegal.

Discover how to place bets on the World Cup and find the best sportsbook promotions and offers for this summer’s soccer tournament.

Grasping soccer betting lines may feel daunting initially, yet once you master these markets, you will notice they mirror the familiar structures of NBA, MLB, or NFL betting, to name a few.

While most sports typically provide two moneyline options, soccer stands out by offering three. 

Bettors can wager on either team to win, and a draw moneyline is also available. If the match ends in a tie after 90 minutes, the draw payout is awarded. 

Take a look at an example of odds for a Round of 16 week matchup between France and Paraguay:

If you’re confident that France will beat Paraguay, you can bet on them with the -550 moneyline odds, but if you think the match will end tied at 1-1 or 2-2 inside of 90 minutes, you would instead bet the +600 draw odds. 

In most betting markets, a favorite typically carries odds around -185. Soccer is unique, however, because a favorite can sometimes be found at plus money.

In soccer betting, the Goal Line function is comparable to the spread in other sports or to the run line in MLB markets.

This wager represents the expected goal difference and is usually set at a low margin, typically at -1.5 to -3.5. Bettors use this market to wager on whether a specific team will secure a victory by a designated number of goals.

For example, in Spain vs. Austria, the goal line is set at -1.5 for Spain.

In this scenario, if Spain wins 3-1 and you wagered on them -1.5 at +100 odds, your bet is successful, since Austria lost by more than 1.5 goals. 

On the flip side, taking Austria at +1.5 with -125 odds means your bet cashes if the match ends in a 1-1 draw, as the margin remains under the 1.5-goal threshold.

The growing options of prediction markets also provide additional opportunities to place trades on the Cup.

Mike Turay is a sports journalist and editor who closely follows the NBA, NFL, college sports and UFC. He has demonstrated expertise in both NBA and NFL player prop bets for nearly three years. Mike is also highly knowledgeable about the sportsbook offer landscape, frequently trying and reviewing the latest apps and sites.