Best World Cup betting sites for 2026

(The Independent)

The 2026 Fifa World Cup will be the biggest World Cup ever in terms of size and scale, with this year’s edition set to be the single most bet-on football event in the world.

The tournament will be hosted across the USA, Canada and Mexico from June 2026, and is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams and 104 matches.

Football bookmakers are preparing themselves for one of the biggest betting events of all time, so we’ve put together a list of the best World Cup betting sites on the UK market.

These sites will offer a range of pre-match and in-play markets, live streaming availability and ongoing promotions running before and throughout the six-week tournament.

Bookies will also prepare a raft of welcome offers, with updated UKGC guidelines now imposing a ban on mixed sportsbook and casino bonuses.

Read on to find our recommendations for the best sites for World Cup betting.

The best World Cup betting sites and offers for 2026

We consider a range of criteria when evaluating the best World Cup betting sites on the market.

Factors we look at include market depth for tournament betting, quality of World Cup-specific promotions, the competitiveness of the betting sign up offers and the overall mobile experience.

The table below provides a brief look at our recommendations for the best World Cup betting sites on the market:

Bet365 - best for in-play and live betting

Bet365 is our pick as the best option for in-play and live betting thanks to an unmatched range of in-play markets and live streaming of international football, including many World Cup warm-up matches and friendlies.

The brand offers great World Cup odds on a huge breadth of pre-match football markets including outright winner, top goalscorer, group winners, team to qualify, match result, both teams to score and player-specific markets.

As for other live betting features, the cash out option is particularly valuable during knockout rounds, allowing customers to lock in profit or cut losses before a match ends.

In terms of the Bet365 welcome offer, the promo is around the industry standard for value, offering £30 in free bet credits when users deposit and wager £10.

Betfred - best World Cup welcome offer value

Betfred is one of the most established bookmakers on the UK market, with a long history of World Cup coverage and customer service during major sporting events.

Betfred's Bet £10 Get £50 welcome offer is the highest value standard welcome offer among the bookmakers featured here, making it an obvious starting point for new customers signing up ahead of the tournament.

In addition to the welcome offer, Betfred run various ongoing football promotions, which extend well beyond the sign-up offer and run throughout major international tournaments, making it a great choice for World Cup betting.

The bookie also provides a wide range of World Cup markets, including group stage betting, team to qualify, golden boot, and match betting across all fixtures.

Sky Bet - best for World Cup bet builders

The first thing that makes Sky Bet catch the eye is their market-leading qualifying bet requirement, allowing users to bet as little as £0.05 to trigger the ‘Bet £0.05 Get £30 welcome offer’.

This is the most accessible threshold of any offer featured here, with users receiving 3x£10 free bets that can be used on World Cup betting across multiple group stage fixtures.

While the potential value on the offer stands out, Sky Bet is our World Cup betting site pick for bet builders thanks to the BuildABet feature, which allows customers to combine multiple selections within a single World Cup match (e.g. first goalscorer, number of cards, match result) into one bet with a combined return.

In addition to good availability on bet builders, it is likely that Sky Bet will offer World Cup price boosts on major matches throughout the tournament, making it a solid overall choice for anyone looking to bet on the World Cup.

talkSPORT BET - best for World Cup coverage

TalkSPORT BET has a unique position as the betting brand of the talkSPORT radio network. As the UK's biggest commercial sports radio station, they will carry extensive World Cup 2026 coverage throughout the tournament.

As an extension of the talkSPORT network, the World Cup betting site is a good choice for football fans already engaged with talkSPORT's media content around the sport.

The brand’s welcome offer allows new users to bet up to £40 and get up to £40 in free bets, with a minimum £20 stake and football bets placed only via the app.

While talkSPORT BET will provide a solid range of markets and competitive World Cup betting odds, the bookie also stands out for a range of football-focused ongoing promotions tied to talkSPORT's live World Cup commentary and coverage.

Coral - best for World Cup prediction games

Coral's low £5 qualifying bet makes the Bet £5 Get £30 welcome offer one of the most accessible for new customers during the tournament.

Once signed up, users will find that Coral is a great bookie for free-to-play football prediction games with cash prizes and free bets up for grabs.

Their long-running Football Super Series prediction game will likley be rebranded and repackaged for the World Cup, with rewards given for accurate predictions.

Coral will also have wide market coverage across all 104 World Cup fixtures, with competitive World Cup odds across the group and knockout stages.

And for fans of in-person betting, Coral Connect links the customer's online account to in-shop betting, which is useful for anyone who wants to follow World Cup matches in any of their high-street betting shops.

Ladbrokes - best for World Cup free bet flexibility

Ladbrokes is one of the UK's most established and recognisable bookmakers, with a reliable mobile app well-suited to live match betting.

The brand’s welcome offer offers great value as a ‘Bet £5 Get £30’ promo, and the rewards are structured as 6x £5 free bets.

This is the most granular split of any offer featured here, giving new customers maximum flexibility to spread bets across multiple World Cup group stage fixtures rather than committing to fewer, larger stakes.

In addition, Ladbrokes offer excellent international football coverage – with extensive pre-match and in-play markets across all 104 World Cup matches – as well as a great range of ongoing football promotions running throughout the tournament.

How to claim a World Cup free bet

Below, we’ve provided a step-by-step guide on how to sign up for your typical World Cup betting site:

• Step 1: Choose a bookmaker from our recommended list and click through to their website.
• Step 2: Complete the online registration form, including name, date of birth, address, email address and payment details.
• Step 3: Opt in to the welcome offer if prompted during registration, or find it in the promotions section of your account once registered.
• Step 4: Make a qualifying deposit at the minimum required amount. This varies by bookmaker, so check the T&Cs for your chosen site.
• Step 5: Place a qualifying bet on World Cup markets at the minimum required odds (typically evens (1/1) or greater, though requirements vary).
• Step 6: Once your qualifying bet has settled, free bets or bet credits will be credited to your account, usually within 24 hours.
• Step 7: Use your free bets on World Cup match betting, outright markets, or specials of your choice before the expiry date.

How we rank and review World Cup betting sites

Here are some of the key elements we look for when updating our rankings and reviews of the best World Cup betting sites:

Regulation

All the best World Cup betting sites on our list are regulated and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).

Responsible gambling

Safe betting operators which follow responsible gambling practices and offer several responsible gambling tools.

Customer experience

We look into the customer experience across various platforms, judging football bookies for their layout, usability, loading speed and customer service.

Payment options

Football punters require a diverse range of payment options beyond debit cards and those bookies that feature on the list of Apple Pay bookmakers among others, are given preference.

Promotions

A valuable sign up offer is one thing but we want to see operators that take care of existing customers with free bets, price boosts, money back promotions and free to play games.

Responsible gambling

When having a bet on World Cup markets, it’s vital to practice responsible gambling.

Gambling can be addictive and it’s important to stay in control of your football World Cup betting.

Never treat betting as a way to make money, never wager more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop.

Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control.

But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don’t hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.

• NHS Help
• GambleAware
• Gamblers Anonymous

FAQs on World Cup betting sites

What are the best World Cup betting odds for 2026?

All bookmakers listed in this piece carry competitive markets across all 104 fixtures. World Cup odds vary by bookmaker and will fluctuate throughout the tournament in response to team news, group draw results, and match outcomes. Outright winner markets are the most popular starting point for bettors, but punters should use odds comparison tools to find the best value on World Cup betting odds.

Can I bet on World Cup 2026 warm-up friendlies?

Most UK-licensed bookmakers offer betting on World Cup warm-up matches. Market depth is strongest for games involving major nations, and coverage of smaller nations will vary by bookmaker. All bookmakers listed here carry international friendly markets, though again the markets on games between smaller nations may be more limited.

What World Cup betting specials are available?

World Cup specials typically include top goalscorer (or golden boot winner), number of goals in the tournament, first nation eliminated, team to win each group and player-of-the-tournament markets. The range of specials expands significantly as the tournament progresses into knockout rounds.

Do World Cup free bets have wagering requirements?

Free bets from UK-licensed bookmakers do not typically require the original stake to be wagered. Only winnings from free bets are withdrawable. Under UKGC rules updated in January 2026, any wagering requirements on bonuses are capped at 10x maximum. Remember to always check individual T&Cs before claiming offers.

Is World Cup betting legal in the UK?

World Cup betting is fully legal in the UK for adults aged 18 and over using operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. All bookmakers recommended in this article are UKGC-licensed. When betting on any event, remember to gamble responsibly and visit BeGambleAware.org if you need additional information or support.

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.