World Cup 2026 Group C betting preview & team guide

Scotland are back at the World Cup after a near 30-year absence and they’ve been handed a tough draw in Group C. They are joined by record winners Brazil, who are the clear favourites to top the group, reigning AFCON champions Morocco and minnows Haiti. 

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World Cup 2026 Group C winner betting odds

• Brazil – 1/6

• Morocco – 6/1

• Scotland – 12/1

• Haiti – 100/1

*All odds correct as of 29th May, 2026 on bet365.com

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Group C guide

Brazil

Overview

Brazil have won a record five World Cup titles but their last success came back in 2002. That success in Japan and South Korea ended a run of three consecutive finals for the South American heavyweights and they’ve been eliminated in the quarter-finals in four of the five tournaments since, reaching the semis and finishing fourth as hosts in 2014. For the first time at a World Cup, Brazil have a foreign manager in charge as Carlo Ancelotti has been in the hot seat since May 2025.

Strengths

Brazil’s attacking talent has always been their main strength and that remains the case with their current crop, although they perhaps don’t have the same level of superstar quality they had in years gone by. Ancelotti’s appointment as manager may provide a stronger tactical approach than we have seen from previous incarnations of Brazil. 

Weaknesses

A lack of an out-and-out goalscorer looks one glaring issue for Brazil. Raphinha has a reasonable strike rate with 11 goals in 37 games but Vinícius Júnior hasn’t been prolific on the international stage with just eight goals in 47 caps, while Joao Pedro is yet to open his account for the senior side. Brazil are also reliant on a number of veterans and this is likely to be the final World Cup for the likes of Neymar, Casemiro, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva and Alex Sandro.

Prospects

Brazil are among the favourites to win the trophy and anything less will be viewed as a disappointment back home, even if such ambitions would appear overly optimistic to the neutral observer. The fact this tournament is taking place on American soil does work in their favour, however, and progressing beyond the quarter-finals looks a realistic target.

Team guide

Best World Cup finish: Champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)

Key player: Vinícius Júnior

Rising star: Endrick

Brazil predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Becker; Wesley, Marquinhos, Magalhães, Alex Sandro; Guimarães, Casemiro; Raphinha, Cunha, Vinícius Júnior; João Pedro

Best Bet – Joao Pedro top team goalscorer

Backing Brazil to reach the semi-finals at around 9/4 looks a reasonable option but the value play could be a go on Joao Pedro to be their top scorer at a general 9/1. Pedro may be yet to open his Brazil account but he has had a decent season in an average Chelsea side with 15 goals in the Premier League. Ancelotti trusts the 24-year-old and he should start as the focal point in the Brazil attack, so he’s got a decent chance of topping the team scorer charts. 

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Morocco

Overview

Morocco were one of the surprise packages at Qatar four years ago and they were comfortably the best African side at the tournament as they progressed to the semi-finals, losing out to France before ultimately finishing in fourth place. Since then they’ve claimed a controversial AFCON trophy, after Senegal were stripped of the trophy, and they will feel capable of making an impact with a deep run at World Cup 2026. 

Strengths

Morocco have a strong spine to their team with a smattering of star quality. In defence they have PSG left-back Achraf Hakimi skippering the side and on the opposite flank they have Manchester United’s Noussair Mazraoui. Roma enforcer Neil El Aynaoui and Stuttgart playmaker Bilal El Khannouss give them balance in midfield, while in attack they boast a gifted striker in the shape of Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz, the 2025 AFCON Golden Boot winner.

Weaknesses

There is a question mark over manager Mohamed Ouahbi, who has only been in charge since March following the resignation of AFCON winning boss Walid Regragui. Ouahbi has never previously managed a senior team, having honed his craft at various youth levels. The squad also appears to be lacking strength in depth and a few key injuries could severely weaken this team. 

Prospects

Escaping the group stage should be fairly straightforward for Morocco, particularly as third place would probably be enough to progress. A repeat of their march through to the last four is perhaps unlikely but they could target being the highest ranked CAF team once again, although that of course relies on how the draw pans out. 

Team guide

Best World Cup finish: Fourth (2022)

Key player: Brahim Díaz

Rising star: Gessime Yassine

Morocco predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Yassine Bounou; Hakim, Diop, Aguerd, Mazraoui; El Aynaoui, Saibari, El Khannouss; Díaz, Ezzalzouli; El Kaabi

Best Bet: Morocco to reach the round of 16 at 5/4

Morocco should be able to navigate their way out of this batch of four fairly comfortably and from that point they would need to win one knockout game to reach the last 16. There is a chance France could lie in wait immediately after the groups but if the Atlas Lions can avoid the European big guns they would have a reasonable chance of reaching at least the last 16. 

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Scotland

Overview

Scotland are back at the World Cup for the first time since 1998 and they’ll be looking to progress beyond the group stage for the first time in their ninth appearance in the top international tournament. The Tartan Army have been rejuvenated since Steve Clarke took charge in 2020 as they have reached the last two European Championships, and they qualified for this summer’s showpiece in sensational style with a 4-2 win over Denmark. 

Strengths

Team spirit is an obvious strength in this Scotland squad and as a team they are greater than the sum of their parts, as they showed by qualifying ahead of a strong Denmark outfit. There is some real talent within their team, however, with a sizeable contingent of their squad playing in Serie A, including Scott McTominay, Lewis Ferguson and Che Adams. 

Weaknesses

Scotland’s attack is probably the weakest area of their squad as Lyndon Dykes, Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland all have fairly modest strike rates at international level. They are also perhaps overly reliant on a few key players, such as McTominay and Andy Robertson, and lack strength in depth. 

Prospects

Having fallen at the group stage in all eight of their previous World Cup campaigns, qualifying for the knockout stages is an obvious target for Clarke’s troops. With third place potentially enough to progress the expanded 2026 edition of this tournament provides the Scotland squad a real chance to create a bit of history. 

Team guide

Best World Cup finish: Group Stage (1954, 1958, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998)

Key player: Scott McTominay

Rising star: Ben Gannon-Doak

Scotland predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Gordon; Hickey, Hanley, McKenna, Robertson; Ferguson, McGinn; Christie, McTominay, Gannon-Doak; Dykes

Best Bet – Scott McTominay top team goalscorer at 11/4

Scott McTominay has a modest 14 goals in 69 appearances for Scotland but he is a man who knows how to deliver on the biggest stages. Every goal the Napoli star has scored for his nation has come in competitive matches and he looks a solid bet to top the scoring charts for Scotland after two goals in six qualifiers and nine goals in Serie A for Napoli this season. 

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Haiti

Overview

Haiti have qualified for the World Cup for the second time in their history as they make a return after an absence of over 50 years. The Caribbean nation had to qualify the hard way as they were unable to host games due to ongoing political and security issues, meaning home fixtures were played at neutral venues. As the second lowest ranked team in the competition, ahead of only New Zealand, they appear unlikely to progress beyond the group stage. 

Strengths

This is a team who know how to battle through adversity as they were unable to host matches during qualification yet still reached the tournament, finishing ahead of both Honduras and Costa Rica in the final CONCACAF round of qualifying. They have a couple of players who compete in Europe’s big leagues, including Sunderland attacker Wilson Isidor and Wolves midfielder Jean‐Ricner Bellegarde.

Weaknesses

A lack of quality is going to be a huge issue for Haiti and it is hard to see them really competing with their group rivals. They also have a tendency to concede early goals and against the level of opposition they will face at the World Cup that will be a major issue.  

Prospects

When Haiti reached the World Cup in Germany in 1974 they lost all three of their games, conceded 14 goals and scored two themselves. If they can claim their first ever World Cup points that would be seen as a huge success and scoring more than two goals should also be a target. Anything beyond that looks unrealistic, taking into account their Group C rivals. 

Team guide

Best World Cup finish: Group Stage (1974)

Key player: Wilson Isidor

Rising star: Carl Sainté

Haiti predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Johny Placide; Arcus, Adé, Delcroix, Duverne; Jean Jacques, Pierre; Etienne Jr., Bellegarde, Isidor; Pierrot

Best Bet – Haiti to finish bottom of Group C 

Simply reaching the World Cup is a huge achievement for the Grenadiers but they appear unlikely to make an impact at the main event. Getting anything from their game against South American powerhouses Brazil looks unthinkable, and they should find AFCON winners Morocco and Scotland far too strong as well. It would register as a big surprise if they finished anywhere other than bottom of the pile. 

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