Spain’s fans have more hope than ever before that their national team will lift the trophy at the upcoming World Cup 2026. Following an amazing success at EURO 2024, when Spain defeated England in the finals 2-1, they proved themselves to be one of the most powerful teams in the world. Also, FIFA World Cup betting platforms took notice, adjusting their odds to favour the Spanish team.  

The Road to the World Cup 2026 

Spain have a winnable group, and the hopes of getting to the finals are well justified. Europe’s qualification system for the World Cup involves twelve groups, each containing four or five teams. Spain is in group E, alongside Turkey, Bulgaria and Georgia, and is an absolute favourite and the strongest team in the group, so advancing further shouldn’t be a problem for the star studded team.

Spain’s plan is pretty simple: finish top of the group to secure direct entry to the World Cup finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. If they finish second, they’ll have to go through playoffs. 

Betting Odds and Tournament Hype 

As of now, Spain seems to be the favourite across all sportsbooks. Some are giving the team a great chance to go to the final which will be held in New York on July 19th, 2026, while others are hesitant to predict so far into the future. In any case, Spain is leading the boards with +500 odds at most platforms, while in some Spain, France and Brazil are all coupled at +600 odds. On big platforms like Sportsbet, Spain is clearly the team to beat after their win at Euro 2024 where they showed a strong game and plenty of speed. Besides the obvious favourite, Germany seems to be building a strong team with coach Julian Nagelsmann and young players like Musiala and Florian Wirtz.  

If you’re looking to place a bet, keep in mind that these are odds and predictions, nothing is set in stone. Football is an unpredictable sport, and every team is just one injury away from crashing their chances. Once the games begin, we will see more clearly which team has a realistic chance to advance.  

There is also live betting, which should be pretty spectacular considering that it’s the World Cup, and every team is looking to make their country proud. It’s not only about winning the match, but rather to show off the patriotism and pride in their national colours. So, betting on the next goal, corner, penalty or yellow card is going to be exciting since teams are going to play the matches with passion and determination.  

Team Strengths and Tactical Approach 

Spain will generally look to keep control of the ball by making short, quick passes and moving as a team, while wearing down the rivals by not letting them get possession of the ball. Once the opponent is in a daze, the Spaniards launch a swift attack. Off the ball, they will be pressing hard to win the ball back quickly after losing it, but manager Luis de la Fuente has also added a degree of pragmatism and directness to their play too.

At the center of Spain’s team are young players who bring a breath of fresh air to the game. Lamine Yamal, just a teenager, absolutely shone at the Euro 2024, with Nico Williams on the other wing. On the other hand, Pedri brings loads of experience of playing under pressure and is bringing a calm and clear mind into the game.  

Fan Expectations: Hope and Caution 

Emotions are running high among Spain’s fans after the Euro 2024 win and strong play at the Nations League. Online forums and social media are buzzing about the possible chances of officially being the best team in the world, with many calling this Spain’s chance to shine with the new golden generation.  

On the other hand, fans know that anything can happen at such big tournaments. If anything, Spain’s game at the Nations League also revealed some weak spots in the team, with some injuries that plagued key players. All of this can dampen Spain’s odds at the World Cup.  

Potential Obstacles 

Next year, will have the expanded 48 countries fighting for the trophy, in 12 groups, 4 teams in each group. Even though Spain got lucky within the E group, with not so strong teams like Turkey or Bulgaria, there’s a realistic chance that they will face some of the football giants in the group stage, like Brazil, Argentina or France.  

A seriously off day can change the course of the championships, and as far as the Spain team goes, it has happened before when they were sent home by Morocco in the 2022 World Cup. Morocco were the better team, but rather that Spain had a horrible day when nothing was going their way, and they lost in the knockout phase.  

Betting Insights: Where Value Lies 

Bettors look at Spain as a safe bet, being that they are at the top of the boards alongside France and Brazil. Still, many bettors will look at Spain and the first knock out round to protect themselves from losses. Also, in-play betting is going to be huge next year, with odds changing every minute due to different tactics, injuries, coach decisions, yellow cards and many more factors.  

Pro tip: keep an eye on injuries to key players like Lamine Yamal or Pedri, as well as the coach’s decisions during qualifiers, since this will give you a great idea of the team’s form. Place bets according to the current situation on the field rather than placing bets early on without any insight into the team’s play.  

Fan Mood: Excitement, Dreams, and Realism 

Everyone is buzzing about Spain’s chances at next year’s World Cup, with many fans predicting the team to play at the finals at the very least. However, some are more cautious, raising the question of Spain’s form from 2024 to 2026 and whether they will be able to maintain such high quality play.  

The mood in Spain is cautiously optimistic, hoping for the win, but staying grounded in the reality that football is an unpredictable sport where the outcome can be decided in a few seconds.  

If Spain finishes first in the group, they will have the whole winter to prepare for the summer championship. Whatever happens in the US, Canada and Mexico, one thing is for sure, Spanish supporters will relive 2010, singing “¡Sí, se puede!” and backing their team through group and knockout matches.