Can Thomas Tuchel's bold England squad really win the World Cup? The Three Lions are 6/1 to lift the trophy for the first time in 60 years

England’s 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup has been announced, and a number of huge omissions have already caused a stir among fans and pundits alike.

Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Morgan Gibbs-White, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw are all set to miss out on the trip to North America – a group that combines elite talent with invaluable tournament experience, both of which England could end up missing when it matters most. 

With several surprise omissions also come a few unexpected inclusions, with Ivan Toney and Djed Spence among the names that have left some scratching their heads. 

Toney has spent the past two seasons playing in the Saudi Pro League, while Spence has still earned a call-up despite only recently suffering a broken jaw. 

Despite the bold squad selection, England’s position in the betting markets remains unchanged, with Sky Bet still pricing the Three Lions at 6/1 – the third shortest-priced side – as they bid to win the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.

England boast a strong record at major tournaments in recent years, having reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and the quarter-finals in 2022, while also securing back-to-back European Championship final appearances in 2021 and 2024.

With that in mind, the big question is whether Thomas Tuchel can finally be the man to get England over the line and deliver the elusive silverware that has evaded the nation for decades.

The Three Lions remain behind both Spain and France in the betting markets, with the two European giants installed as joint favourites at 4/1. 

France reached a second consecutive World Cup final in 2022 before eventually losing to Argentina, with their run in Qatar including a 2-1 quarter-final victory over England – a match remembered for Harry Kane’s crucial missed penalty.

Spain also hold the edge over England in recent tournament meetings, having beaten the Three Lions 2-1 in the Euro 2024 final to deny them yet another shot at ending their long wait for silverware.

Further down the market, South American powerhouses Brazil and Argentina complete the top five in the betting at 7/1 and 8/1 respectively.

A full list of the outright World Cup winner market can be found below.

Sky Bet odds to win the 2026 World Cup: 

France – 4/1

Spain – 4/1

England – 6/1

Brazil – 7/1

Argentina – 8/1

Portugal – 17/2

Germany – 11/1

Netherlands – 14/1

Belgium – 19/1

Norway – 25/1

Colombia – 40/1

Uruguay – 50/1

USA – 55/1

Mexico – 55/1

Croatia – 60/1

Switzerland – 60/1

Japan – 70/1

Morocco – 75/1

Ecuador – 80/1

Austria – 90/1

Türkiye – 100/1

Senegal – 150/1

Ivory Coast – 150/1

Sweden – 175/1

Canada – 250/1

Scotland – 275/1

Paraguay – 300/1

Algeria – 300/1

Ghana – 325/1

Czechia – 425/1

Haiti – 500/1

New Zealand – 500/1

Cape Verde – 500/1

Jordan – 500/1

Curacao – 500/1

Iran – 500/1

Saudi Arabia – 500/1

South Africa – 500/1

Panama – 500/1

DR Congo – 500/1

Qatar – 500/1

Bosnia & Herzegovina – 500/1

Uzbekistan – 500/1

South Korea – 500/1

Iraq – 500/1

Tunisia – 500/1

Egypt – 500/1

Australia – 500/1

• All odds are correct at the time of publication