The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here! 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 Sunday, June 21st. 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, 6/21

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia – Parlay: Spain To Score Both Halves & Over 2.5 Team Goals (-135 on DraftKings Sportsbook)

Today’s World Cup expert picks feature Spain’s match against Saudi Arabia in Group H. The pressure is on the Spanish to win, especially in comfortable fashion. Let’s count on that happening with some World Cup predictions. Parlay Spain to score in both halves and have over 2.5 goals. 

After playing to a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde in its first match, Spain should be motivated to start this game strong and dominate throughout. This is still the pre-tournament favorite to win the World Cup we’re talking about. The Spanish are also third in the FIFA world rankings, while Saudi Arabia is 59th. There’s a massive gap in quality, skill level, and cohesion between these squads. 

In that opening draw, Spain’s issue was finishing its chances. The offense still generated 27 shots and 16 attempts inside the box. The Spanish also had 74% of the possession and 2.1 expected goals, but somehow were held scoreless. They’re due for positive regression, especially in this matchup. 

Saudi Arabia only allowed one goal to Uruguay in its first match, but the damage easily could’ve been much worse. The Saudis allowed 27 shots overall, 10 attempts on target, and 16 inside the box. Uruguay also had 67% possession with 14 corners. 

Spain needs to show up here before facing Uruguay next. Expect the attack to press early to get a goal and settle the nerves. Saudi Arabia wil be defending for the whole game, and that defense should break down in the second half. The floodgates could open once Spain brings in fresh attackers to boost the goal differential. 

More World Cup Expert Picks:

 

Top World Cup Player Props Today

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium) – 3+ Shots (-135 on BetMGM Sportsbook)

Let’s keep the World Cup best bets going with a player prop. Our World Cup expert picks feature Belgium’s Kevin De Bruyne to have 3+ shots against Iran today. The veteran midfielder should be heavily involved in the attack, as he usually is, and the shot chances will be there. 

Belgium needs a strong offensive showing in this game after playing to a 1-1 draw with Egypt in the first match. Count on De Bruyne to anchor an attack that should press for mutliple goals. Iran willl likely defend deep and try to make this a grind. Still, the Iranians were vulnerable in their opener, allowing two goals on 14 shots (eight on goal) to New Zealand.

De Bruyne had a team-high four shots in the match vs. Egypt. He’s a willing shooter, especially in this situation where his squad needs goals. Plus, he should be on free kicks and penalties. In World Cup qualifying, De Bruyne had 23 shots across 6 matches, averaging 3.8 per contest. He’s also now racked up 34 total shots over 14 World Cup starts in his career. 

 

 

 

Best Underdog Picks For Today’s Matches

Federico Valverde (Uruguay) – Higher Than 2.5 Shots Attempted

Our World Cup expert picks also feature a selection on Underdog Fantasy. Let’s roll with Uruguay’s Federico Valverde to have higher than 2.5 shots attempted. The midfielder should be active in the attack against Cape Verde tonight. Getting to 3+ shots is very doable for multiple reasons. 

First, Uruguay is expected to dominate possession and send in plenty of shots. In their opening match, the Uruguayans totaled 27 shots with 16 attempts inside the box against Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Cape Verde allowed 27 shots and 74% possession to Spain in its first game. It’s not apples-to-apples, of course, but both game flows provide important context. 

As for Valverde, he had three shots in that first match. He’s a key piece of the attack, and now there’s pressure to score and build a lead in a game that Uruguay should win. Valverde’s creativity and movement around the box can get him open for plenty of scoring opportunities. 

 

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: 

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia

  • Mikel Oyarzabal -155
  • Borja Iglesias -135
  • Lamine Yamal -105
  • Ferran Torres +105

 

Belgium vs. Iran

  • Romelu Lukaku -105
  • Kevin De Bruyne +215
  • Charles De Ketelaere +215
  • Matias Fernandez Pardo +220

 

Uruguay vs. Cape Verde

  • Federico Vinas +160
  • Darwin Nunez +175
  • Rodrigo Aguirre +180
  • Brian Rodriguez +210

 

New Zealand vs. Egypt

  • Mohamed Salah +120
  • Omar Marmoush +180
  • Mostafa Ziko +210
  • Trezeguet +210

 

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. 

Saturday saw a mixed bag of results when it comes to over/unders. The Nethlerands scored 5 goals against Sweden in a game that sailed over the total. Meanwhile, Germany eked out a win over Ivory Coast in a 2-1 final that hit the over. Japan’s victory over Tunisia also went over. Ecuador and Curacao played to a scoreles draw, though. 

That brings us to an even 18-18 record on totals in World Cup games thus far. There hasn’t been an edge in that department with World Cup best bets. The “both teams to score” prop, though, has been one to monitor. It happened twice on Saturday, giving us a 22-14 record favoring “both teams to score” during the tournament.