World Cup Round of 16 Betting Preview: July 6

The Stars and Stripes take the pitch once again on Monday, July 6, on the third day of the World Cup Round of 16. The United States are looking to make the quarterfinals for the first time since the 2002 World Cup, and they are facing a familiar foe in Belgium. World Cup odds have Belgium at +166, the U.S. at +170, with the regulation Draw at +239 and a total of 2.5.

In the other Round of 16 World Cup 2026 match set to take place on Monday, Iberian rivals will clash when Portugal meets Spain. The Portuguese were very fortunate to beat Croatia in the Round of 32, while Spain were perhaps the most dominant team in the first round of the knockout stage, cruising to a 3-0 win over Austria. Spain is listed at -117, Portugal is +327 and the regulation Draw is +273 with a total of 2.5.

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What Is the FIFA World Cup 2026 Format for the Round of 16?

In the past, the World Cup Round of 16 was the first stage of the knockout rounds, but the expansion to 48 teams in this tournament led to an extra round of elimination matches. Now, teams must win five elimination matches in order to claim soccer’s ultimate prize.

How Teams Reach the Round of 16

The FIFA World Cup 2026 format Round of 16 is a bit different than it was in prior World Cups. Teams advance to the Round of 16 by defeating their opponent in the Round of 32. A team can advance to the Round of 16 by winning in full time, winning in extra time, or winning in penalty kicks. England knows all too well about the agony of penalty kicks, and the nation will be collectively clenching its teeth if the Three Lions’ fate is decided from the spot.

How Knockout Matches Are Decided

Americans will love that there are no draws in the knockout rounds. Every match is played until there is a winner, whether it be in regulation, after extra time, or in a shootout.

FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 Matchups Today

There are no duds in terms of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 matchups. Portugal and Spain will square off in the first of the two matches set to take place on Monday, July 6. Spain just put together its most complete performance of the World Cup, so La Roja are favored to best their biggest rival. However, the Portuguese can’t be counted out, even with a past-his-prime Cristiano Ronaldo still at the top of the formation.

The most watched Round of 16 World Cup 2026 game domestically will be the tilt between the United States and Belgium. The Stars and Stripes will have homefield advantage for the remainder of the tournament, as neither Canada nor Mexico will host a match after this round. That’s great news for the Americans, and a deep run in the World Cup would send reverberations around the soccer world.

2026 World Cup Round of 16 Bracket Structure

The Americans cannot complain about the 2026 World Cup Round of 16 bracket structure. By virtue of winning Group D, the United States were able to face a third-place team with a spot in the Round of 16 on the line. Now, the Stars and Stripes will take on a Belgium squad that has looked incredibly shaky in each of its four matches.

No matter what happens in the World Cup Round of 16 match between Portugal and Spain, the winner of that tilt will be favored in the quarterfinals. Both Portugal and Spain are much stronger than the United States or Belgium, so whichever team advances in that clash will face an easier test with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

How the Round of 16 Connects to the Quarterfinals

There is no re-seeding after each round in the World Cup. The bracket was locked in following the conclusion of the Group Stage, so teams’ paths were set. Additionally, the teams that win each day during the Round of 16 will then meet each other in the quarterfinals to ensure equal rest. The winners of Portugal vs. Spain and United States vs. Belgium will face off on Friday, July 10, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Potential Bracket Paths for Top Teams

It’s very likely that France will be waiting for one of the four teams playing on July 6. Les Bleus are now the tournament favorites by the World Cup futures odds, and they are heavy favorites against Paraguay in the Round of 16. If France wins that match, they will take on either Canada or Morocco in the quarterfinals, and there’s no doubt that the French will be odds-on favorites in that game too.

World Cup 2026 Round of 16 Predictions

These are the World Cup 2026 Round of 16 predictions that I struggled with the most, particularly the match between the United States and Belgium.

Portugal vs. Spain Prediction

This could be the most contentious of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 matchups. Portugal and Spain have a lot of history against one another, and both teams have lofty expectations since they were among the tournament favorites at the start of the competition. Whichever squad is eliminated in the Round of 16 will face a doubly bitter pill due to both an early exit and a humiliation at the hands of their biggest rival.

La Roja really came together against Austria, and I believe they will carry that chemistry over into this match. Portugal have the talent to push Spain to the limit, but the Portuguese have had some internal issues with the continued presence of Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s clear that Ronaldo is a shadow of his former self with only sporadic flashes of brilliance, and he will be the albatross that brings down Portugal.

United States vs. Belgium Prediction

Oddsmakers have made this match a toss-up. Although the United States have looked better than Belgium so far at this tournament, they don’t have the same talent or pedigree. The absence of Folarin Balogun will be massive for the Americans too, as he has undoubtedly been the team’s best forward.

Despite the absence of Balogun, I believe that the United States will do enough to win in the Round of 16. Belgium’s golden generation has largely aged out, and most of the team’s superstars are in the twilight of their careers. Senegal were up 2-0 deep in the match before bottling it against Belgium in the Round of 32, so it’s hard to have too much faith in this squad.

Daily Round of 16 World Cup 2026 Matchup Summary

My best bet of the Round of 16 World Cup 2026 matches on July 6 is Spain to beat Portugal in regulation at -116. La Roja showed why they are the defending European champions in their last match, and they are extremely dangerous on the wings. Lamine Yamal and Marc Cucurella will constantly threaten Portugal’s back line and ensure Spain advances.

In the late match, I believe Chris Richards and Tim Ream will be able to contain Belgium’s sputtering attack. Kevin De Bruyne was not the difference maker we saw for years, and Belgium are still far too dependent on the inconsistent Romelu Lukaku.