June 16 FIFA World Cup Predictions: Odds & Betting Tips

The two most recent World Cup winners will kick off action in their World Cup 2026 groups on Wednesday, June 16. France are sizeable favorites against Senegal in the first match of the day, while Argentina are heavy favorites per the soccer betting odds against Algeria. This will be the opening match of the World Cup 2026 groups stage for both tournament favorites.

At the beginning of the tournament, many World Cup predictions had either France or Argentina winning it all. Argentina has a much easier run through the Group Stage than France though, as Les Bleus must face three dangerous teams in Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. Meanwhile, the reigning World Cup champions’ biggest threat in the Group Stage is an Austria team that last qualified for this tournament in 1998.  

World Cup 2026 Group Matches Today

There are four World Cup matches today as teams in Group I and Group J play their first games of this tournament. Group I has been widely heralded as the Group of Death at the 2026 World Cup, but that moniker has lost some of its gravitas due to the expanded nature of this competition since eight third-place teams will be making it to the knockout rounds.

Group J has a clear pecking order with Argentina at the top and Jordan at the bottom. Jordan has some of the longest odds to win the World Cup, and they will be heavy underdogs against Austria. Lionel Messi and Argentina will be featured in primetime for their first match of the competition, and La Albiceleste are expected to have little trouble with Algeria.

Today’s World Cup Groups Odds

France are odds-on favorites to win Group I per the World Cup groups odds, but Les Bleus face a tricky opening match against Senegal. These countries have only met once before, and that was when Senegal stunned France 1-0 in both teams’ first match at the 2002 World Cup. That opening defeat led to France flaming out and failing to win a match despite being defending World Cup champions.

There was some buzz about Algeria before the World Cup 2026 groups matches schedule was released. However, that hype has dissipated as Algeria will travel more than almost any other country at this competition. The Fennecs will move from Kansas City to San Francisco and then back to Kansas City during the Group Stage.

France vs. Senegal Prediction and Betting Preview

The two-time World Cup champions are moderate favorites per the soccer betting odds. France is -209 against Senegal on the three-way line, and there is no doubt that Les Bleus are one of the three most talented teams in this tournament.

However, there are signs that this French team might be due for another collapse. Kylian Mbappe hasn’t seen any real action since suffering a hamstring injury, Ousmane Dembele has yet to prove he can thrive through the middle with the national team, and long-time head coach Didier Deschamps is preparing to step aside.

That makes Senegal +1 a great bet on the Asian Handicap line.

Iraq vs. Norway Prediction and Betting Preview

There are real concerns about Norway’s preparations for the World Cup. Norway only managed three shots in a friendly against Morocco in their final tune-up, and the Norwegians have really struggled to deal with the heat and humidity at their training camp in North Carolina.

Fortunately, the weather report is favorable for Norway in this match as it is expected to rain and be relatively cool. While I do expect the Norwegians to win, the Lions of Mesopotamia have shown a lot of tenacity and played Spain to a 1-1 draw before coming to America. Give me Iraq +1.5 and +2, and Under 3 goals might be a good bet as well.

Argentina vs. Algeria Prediction and Betting Preview

This will be Lionel Messi’s final World Cup, and the greatest soccer player of his generation has nothing left to prove. Messi led Argentina to its third World Cup triumph in Qatar back in 2022, and La Albiceleste have won the last two Copa America titles. Argentina boast one of the best midfields in the world too, so they should have no problem controlling this match.

Argentina were shocked by Saudi Arabia in their opener in Qatar, and that will keep this team from being lulled into a sense of complacency. They are a -240 favorite on the three-way line, and I don’t believe they will be seriously tested by Algeria.

Austria vs. Jordan Prediction and Betting Preview

Jordan are making their first appearance at the World Cup, and they will be fortunate to earn a result. They have not played well outside of the Middle East and fell 4-1 to Switzerland and 2-0 to Colombia in their two most recent friendlies. 

As for Austria, they have been sharp in their three most recent matches. They hammered Ghana 5-1 back in March, leading to the Black Stars firing their head coach before the World Cup. Austria followed up that blowout victory with 1-0 wins over South Korea and Tunisia, so they are a solid bet to win and are -304 on the three-way line.

Best World Cup Betting Angles for Today

The best angle in this group of games involves the match between Jordan and Austria. Jordan made it to the final of the 2025 Arab Cup, but they greatly benefited from penalty kicks. The Chivalrous Ones were awarded a penalty kick in five of their six matches, while none of their opponents were given a penalty kick. That good fortune is unlikely to happen at this competition, so almost all World Cup predictions have Jordan finishing at the bottom of Group J.

An angle to keep in mind throughout the tournament is that no European team had won a World Cup in the Americas prior to Germany throttling the competition in 2014. I already discussed Norway’s training issues even though it isn’t summer yet, and France’s best finish at a World Cup in the Americas was third place at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. 

How Group Standings Affect Today’s Predictions

These are the first matches of the World Cup 2026 Groups Stage, so there are no prior results to consider. France and Argentina are both odds-on favorites to win their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers groups, and it would be an absolute shock if one of these teams didn’t make it to the knockout rounds. 

Daily World Cup Prediction Summary

I like the underdogs in both Group I matches. Iraq and Senegal are both underrated squads, while France and Norway could be in for some trouble.

However, the favorites are the better bets in Group J. There is a clear disparity between Argentina and everyone else, and the only real question should be whether Austria or Algeria finishes runner-up to the defending World Cup champions.