World Cup 2026 Group F betting preview & team guide
Content Editor at Free Super Tips, Alex was born in the shadow of Old Trafford and is an avid Man Utd fan. After graduating from university he combined his love of football, writing and betting to join FST and now closely follows goings-on in all of the top European leagues.
World Cup Group F kicks off with a meeting between the two frontrunners for top spot, and that clash between the Netherlands and Japan sets the stage for one of the tightest-looking groups in the tournament. Tunisia are the outsiders in Group F, but their 7/1 price to top Group F is the joint-shortest price for any fourth favourite.
World Cup 2026 Group F winner betting odds
- Netherlands – 8/11
- Japan – 3/1
- Sweden – 9/2
- Tunisia – 7/1
*All odds correct as of 30th May, 2026 on bet365.com
Group F guide
Netherlands
Overview
Ronald Koeman led the Netherlands to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 in his second stint in charge of the national team and he heads to his first World Cup as a manager after an unbeaten qualifying campaign, but questions remain over their ability to compete with the world’s best sides.
Strengths
A far cry from the total football approach of the past, this Netherlands team build from a world-class back line. They conceded only four goals in qualifying and have an unmatched level of experience at the back, with Virgil van Dijk, Nathan Ake, Stefan de Vrij and Denzel Dumfries winning almost 300 international caps between them.
Weaknesses
Ronald Koeman remains worryingly reliant on an ageing Memphis Depay to score the goals for the Netherlands. The 32-year-old had a solid qualifying campaign, but he has spent the past two months sidelined with a thigh strain and can be inconsistent at the best of times.
Prospects
Five semi-finals in their last nine World Cup appearances illustrate the Netherlands’ ability to turn up when the pressure is on, but their inability to beat top teams is a continued worry. They drew both meetings with Poland during qualifying and failed to win any of their four matches against Spain and Germany in the 2024 UEFA Nations League. Depending on how the draw plays out, they may well be able to make the latter stages of the competition, but any hope of a first-ever World Cup win looks a stretch too far.
Team guide
Best World Cup finish: Runners-up (1974, 1978, 2010)
Key player: Virgil van Dijk
Rising star: Brian Brobbey
Netherlands predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Dumfries, de Vrij, van Dijk, Ake; Gravenberch, de Jong; Malen, Reijnders, Gakpo; Depay
Best Bet – Netherlands to win Group F at 8/11
The Netherlands have not lost inside 90 minutes since October 2024 and their rock-solid defence should see them live up to their favouritism in Group F. Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia should all be there for the taking for the Dutch, although they could struggle later in the tournament.
Japan
Overview
Japan put on a dominant display to qualify for their eighth consecutive World Cup, scoring 54 goals and conceding just three across their 16 games. Manager Hajime Moriyasu navigated Samurai Blue through the group of death in Qatar two years ago and they will be expected to reach the knockout stages for the fifth time this summer.
Strengths
Japan’s astonishing record in qualifying may be skewed by the level of their opposition, but recent 1-0 wins over Scotland and England illustrate their ability to nullify high-quality attackers and produce an upset. They beat Spain and Germany to top their group in the 2022 World Cup and have limited England and Brazil to just four shots on target apiece in the past year.
Weaknesses
There is a lack of a top-tier centre forward in the Japan ranks, and their attacking prospects are further weakened by the absence of the injured Kaoru Mitoma.
Prospects
Despite a relatively tight group, qualification to the knockout stages is an expectation for Japan, and they will feel they can trouble teams after recent wins over England and Brazil. However, they lack the all-round quality to go much further than the last 16.
Team guide
Best World Cup finish: Round of 16 (2002, 2010, 2018, 2022)
Key player: Takefusa Kubo
Rising star: Keisuke Goto
Japan predicted lineup (3-4-2-1): Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, H. Ito; Sugawara, Kamada, Endo, Maeda; Doan, J Ito; Ueda
Best Bet – Ayase Ueda top team goalscorer
Ayase Ueda scored eight goals in qualifying and, with Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino injured, he will be Japan’s main goal threat as he spearheads the attack. The 27-year-old has 16 goals from 38 international appearances and heads to North America full of confidence after the most productive season of his career, notching 25 times for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie.
Sweden
Overview
After a dreadful qualifying campaign which saw them earn two points from six games, Sweden were reliant on their UEFA Nations League results from 2024 to make the play-offs, but Graham Potter’s appointment in October has given them a new lease of life and they will be hoping to carry some momentum into the summer.
Strengths
Boasting the likes of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, individual talent going forward is Sweden’s biggest strength. These two stars can change the game by themselves, while Yasin Ayari, Anthony Elanga, Lucas Bergvall, and Benjamin Nygren offer plenty of support and alternatives to Graham Potter.
Weaknesses
The lack of balance in the squad and vulnerability in the middle of the park will be Potter’s biggest challenge. Sweden haven’t kept a clean sheet since June 2025 and the squad as a whole has a lack of experience at this level of international football.
Prospects
With the expanded World Cup format, Sweden are 4/9 to qualify for the knockout rounds, but that is far from a done deal after their miserable display in qualifying. They were fortunate to beat Poland in the play-off final, and Potter has a lot of work to do to get Blagult purring.
Team guide
Best World Cup finish: Runners-up (1958)
Key player: Alexander Isak
Rising star: Lucas Bergvall
Sweden predicted lineup (3-4-2-1): Nordfelt; Lagerbielke, Starfelt, Lindelof; Svensson, Ayari, Karlstrom, Gudmundsson; Nygren, Elanga; Gyokeres
Best Bet – Sweden not to qualify from Group F at 13/8
Sweden have the attacking talent to qualify, but the cohesion simply doesn’t seem to be there, yet. They were lucky to get this far after failing to win a single qualifying game before scraping past Poland in the play-off final, and all three of the other Group F teams are capable of beating Potter’s men.
Tunisia
Overview
Tunisia topped an admittedly poor qualifying group with an unbeaten record and an aggregate score of 22-0, but despite becoming regulars in the World Cup over the past two decades, they are yet to make it out of the group stages. They have come close in the last two iterations, though, and a relatively tight Group F could offer Sabri Lamouchi’s side the chance to make history for The Eagles of Carthage.
Strengths
Tunisia’s discipline frustrated Denmark and France in the 2022 World Cup, with the Eagles of Carthage conceding just one goal in three group games. This is likely to be their game plan again, and it is one they can execute very well.
Weaknesses
Manager Sabri Lamouchi made a huge call to leave out Ferjani Sassi and Yassine Meriah, who have 196 caps between them, out of the World Cup squad. There is a chance that the absence of their considerable experience could make a difference in a Tunisia side that rely on remaining disciplined and compact against technically superior opposition.
Prospects
Tunisia have the capacity to keep things tight and nick the odd result against technically better opposition, and that makes their clash with Sweden a crucial moment of their World Cup. There is every chance they can take second or third in Group F, but they are unlikely to go far beyond the first round of knockout ties.
Team guide
Best World Cup finish: Group Stage (1978, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022)
Key player: Ellyes Skhiri
Rising star: Ismael Gharbi
Tunisia predicted lineup (4-3-3): Dahmen; Valery, Talbi, Bronn, Abdi; Khedira, Skhiri, Gharbi; Mejbri, Mastouri, Saad
Best Bet – Tunisia to qualify from Group F at 5/4
Given their relative lack of quality, it is unsurprising to see Tunisia as outsiders in Group F, but they have finished third in their group in the last two World Cups and that could be enough to see them through to the knockout stages this year. They drew with Denmark and beat France in the 2022 group stages and were close to getting a point against England in 2018. They are capable of keeping all three games close, and a single nicked win could be enough for them.
Build better bets with our free betting tips, predictions and accumulators, every day.
More betting news:
FST’s World Cup 2026 betting hub and schedule
View All Today’s Football Tips
Betting Academy: See our complete guide to football betting
To take full advantage of our Free Football Tips we recommend you take a look at our Free Bets page, where you can compare all the best free bets and special offers from the country’s top bookmakers.
