The knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup are well underway and there is more round of 32 action to come on Friday as Portugal, Egypt and Argentina all battle for places in the next phase of the tournament.
Portugal and Croatia kick things off in the early hours and Switzerland then take on Algeria. Egypt face Australia before Argentina look to defend their World Cup crown and come up against surprise package Cape Verde.
Looking ahead to the four matches, we have three selections which make up our best bets of the day.
Treble your returns + £20 in free bets
Friday football tips
Bet of the Day – Argentina to win to nil against Cape Verde @ 3/5
Argentina mean business at the World Cup and have continued where they left off after lifting the trophy in Qatar four years ago, winning all three of their group games to advance to the knockouts.
Lionel Messi may have turned 39 during this summer’s tournament but there is no doubt he remains the talisman for La Albiceleste, scoring six goals across each of the three Group J victories.
Cape Verde have won the hearts of football fans across the globe after battling for three draws, holding the mighty Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, to earn three points and advance from Group H in second place.
However, while the Blue Sharks may have halted La Roja in the opening group game, Argentina should be more ruthless with elimination on the line.
Cape Verde will aim to be tough to break down but Messi and his team should have the answers and sail through to the Round of 16.
Bet Builder: Special of the Day – Portugal to win, under 2.5 goals & Cristiano Ronaldo to record two shots @ 29/10
Portugal were among the favourites heading into the World Cup but some doubts crept in after they failed to beat DR Congo in their first Group K match in Houston.
Roberto Martinez’s men bounced back with a convincing 5-0 win over Uzbekistan as Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a brace, before they drew with table-toppers Colombia.
Now into the knockout stages, Portugal will need to go up a gear to ensure they go through and face Croatia who are a side in transition and not at the level of the Vatreni side that reached the World Cup final in 2018.
Portugal should go through if their quality players step up though it will be a tight game and backing under 2.5 goals could prove a smart play.
Martinez’s side conceded only one goal in the group phase while four of the last seven games involving Portugal have featured two goals or fewer.
After grabbing two goals against Uzbekistan, Ronaldo will be eager to add to his tally and backing the forward to record two or more shots looks a wise pick.
Longshot of the Day – Australia to beat Egypt, Switzerland vs Algeria: Both teams to score, Argentina vs Cape Verde – Over 2.5 goals, Portugal to qualify in normal time @ 16/1
Australia will have been boosted by the news that Egypt’s star man Mohamed Salah is a doubt for their Round of 32 clash. The Socceroos were resolute and surprised Turkey in their opening group game and can grind out another victory against the Pharaohs.
All three of Switzerland’s group games saw both teams score, while Algeria, who failed to net against Argentina, scored and conceded against both Jordan and Austria. With those numbers in mind, both teams are likely to score when they meet in Vancouver.
Argentina scored eight goals in three group games, with Lionel Messi leading the way in the top scorer charts with six. Lionel Scaloni’s side should succeed where Spain failed and net past Cape Verde, with over 2.5 goals looking likely considering the scoring form Messi is in.
Elsewhere, Portugal appear to have turned a corner after their opening game disappointment and can get the job done against Croatia in 90 minutes on Friday.
Croatia struggled at times against England and likely won’t have enough to match the Selecao either.
Treble your returns + £20 in free bets
Stay up to date with all the latest World Cup tips & predictions, World Cup Match Previews and all the best World Cup Betting Offers and Free Bets in our dedicated betting hub
Odds correct at time of publish and subject to change.
18+ New Customers only. Opt in, deposit and bet £10+ on any Football market (1/1+ odds) within 7 days of sign up. Get 3 Boost tokens and 2 x £10 Free bets for set Football markets. Rewards expire in 30 days. Click for T&Cs | GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to eSPORTY. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org
