We are back with more 2026 FIFA World Cup action! Before you enjoy the action, let’s dive into the top World Cup expert picks for today’s matches. We’ll dish out a few World Cup predictions for Wednesday, June 17th. Check out these World Cup best bets for some of the top players and games on the schedule. Plus, we’ll examine some of the key World Cup odds to keep an eye on. 

Best FIFA World Cup Picks Today 6/17

Uzbekistan vs. Colombia – Colombia ML & Under 3.5 Total Goals Parlay (-115 on DraftKings Sportsbook)

Today’s World Cup expert picks feature Colombia’s opening match against Uzbekistan. Let’s build a parlay with Colombia to win and under 3.5 total goals. The favorites should handle business in a lower-scoring contest to cash our World Cup predictions. 

Colombia enters as a clear tier above Uzbekistan, which is making its World Cup debut as a country. The South American side should dominate possession and keep the ball in the attacking half for most of the match. James Rodriguez, Luis Diaz, and Luis Suarez give Colombia a dangerous attack capable of creating enough chances for a goal or two. 

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan is expected to sit back in defense to limit the damage in a more conservative game plan. The Asian side will likely use a compact back five to slow the game down into a grind. Colombia could struggle to break through for a half, but that attacking trio is too talented to be contained for a full 90 minutes. 

So, let’s count on Colombia to get the victory and lock in three points. The Colombian fans will likely pack the Azteca in Mexico City for this one, which cannot go overlooked. However, Uzbekistan’s focused and tight defense should keep things on the lower-scoring side overall. 

More World Cup Expert Picks:

 

 


 

Top World Cup Player Props Today

Mateo Kovacic (Croatia) – 3+ Tackles (-110 on DraftKings Sportsbook)

Let’s keep the World Cup best bets going with a player prop. Our World Cup expert picks feature Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic to have 3+ tackles. Kovacic will be playing a key role in the middle against England. He’ll likely be asked to track Jude Bellingham, who operates in the number 10 role for the Three Lions. 

Bellingham should have the ball plenty while looking to create and feed England’s goal-scoring threats. The head-to-head matchup against Kovacic could decide the game. If the Croatian midfielder can win enough challenges, his squad can limit England’s real chances of putting one or two in the back of the net. 

So, let’s count on Kovacic to win at least 3 of those tackles. This is a prop he hit in 4 of 7 matches during the 2022 World Cup while playing a similar role in Croatia’s central midfield. He also had 3 tackles against England in a 2020 Euros matchup. 

More World Cup Expert Picks: 

Best Underdog Picks For Today’s Matches

Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) – Higher Than 60.5 Passes 

Our World Cup expert picks also feature a selection on Underdog Fantasy. Let’s roll with Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes to higher than 60.5 passes against DR Congo today. Everything runs through Fernandes when it comes to the Portuguese attack. He should be on the ball plenty as his squad likely dominates possession in this matchup. 

The Congo defense is expected to deploy a back five in an attempt to sit back and bottle up Portugal’s dangerous attack. That creates more space for Fernandes in the midfield to send in passes all over. He’ll be looking to feed Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, and Pedro Neto all game long. 

Congo’s tight and compact defensive style can shut down some of Portugal’s goal-scoring chances. That should mean even more passes for Fernandes as he tries to find holes and break down the back line. He also has a notable skill and talent edge over Congo’s midfield, which favors his possession and upside as a passer. 

 

 

 

Most Likely Goal Scorers Today

Now that we’ve broken down the top World Cup expert picks, let’s focus on which players are most likely to score goals. Below is a list of the top anytime goalscorer World Cup odds for today’s matches. The odds are via DraftKings Sportsbook: 

  • Portugal vs. DR Congo
    • Cristiano Ronaldo -135
    • Goncalo Ramos +125
    • Joao Felix +150
    • Goncalo Guedes +165
  • England vs. Croatia
    • Harry Kane +125
    • Ivan Toney +170
    • Ollie Watkins +170
    • Marcus Rashford +290
  • Ghana vs. Panama
    • Antoine Semenyo +235
    • Ismael Diaz +265
    • Brandon Thomas-Asante +280
    • Jose Fajardo +290
  • Uzbekistan vs. Colombia
    • Luis Diaz +135
    • Luis Suarez +135
    • Juan Camilo Cucho +135
    • Jhon Arias +185

World Cup Betting Trends To Know 

Before you lock in those World Cup expert picks, let’s talk betting trends. The World Cup odds and recent history can tell us a lot about how a match may go. Keeping up with the trends can help us cash in on World Cup predictions as the tournament progresses. 

Tuesday featured four higher-scoring matches. Norway won 4-1 over Iraq as Erling Haaland netted a pair of goals. France won 3-1 over Senegal, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice. Argentina won 3-0 against Algeria behind a Lionel Messi hat trick. Then we had Austria beating Jordan, 3-1, in the late-night matchup. 

All four matches hit the over on their totals. We had been seeing a run of unders and low-scoring games, but that wasn’t the case at all yesterday. It now means the over/under is at an even 10-10 record so far during the World Cup. 

Meanwhile, the “both teams to score” prop continues to be a profitable one. That happened in three of the four matches yesterday. The pick is now 14-6 in the World Cup, and it’s cashed in 9 of the last 12 games.