2026 World Cup Group C Betting Preview: Odds, Analysis, and Predictions

Brazil is always among the favorites in the World Cup, but I’m not sure how good this year’s squad is. The team finished fifth in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, losing six games in the process.

There were struggles on both ends of the pitch, with Brazil only scoring 24 goals and conceding 17 times in 18 games. That was hardly the performance head coach Carlo Ancelotti expected, but it was enough to get the job done and qualify for the World Cup.

The friendlies in the last few months haven’t done enough to restore confidence in the team, so the big question is whether Brazil can find another gear for the World Cup.

I’m really not sure about that, as the team has plenty of talent but also some big gaps. The defense is the perfect example. Goalkeeper Alisson and central defenders Marquinos and Gabriel Maghalaes provide a strong core, but the fullbacks are not on the same level.

It’s similar further up the pitch, as Brazil’s squad is a mix of world-class players, inconsistent guys, and questionable veterans. That last group includes players like Casemiro and Neymar, who were bona fide world beaters in their prime but are not anywhere near their best nowadays.

I expect Brazil to struggle against strong defensive teams, which is pretty much what Morocco and Scotland have to offer. These two particular teams probably don’t have the attacking talent to finish over Brazil in the group standings, but they should cause some troubles.

Overall, Brazil is too talented to fail in the group stages, especially under the new format, but I can’t recommend backing them at these odds.

Morocco is coming to this World Cup with plenty of confidence after reaching the semifinals last time around.

There’s a good argument to be made that the squad is at least on the same level, with the likes of Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz reaching new heights.

This team can defend in numbers and hit strong on the counter. I have no doubts that Morocco will be very dangerous when playing as the underdogs, like in the match against Brazil.

However, the team might struggle when the opposition defends in numbers, which should be the case against Haiti and at least partially against Scotland. I’m not sure Morocco is can break defenses at will, and I won’t be surprised if Scotland gets a result against them.

Furthermore, it’s interesting to see how the AFCON controversy will affect the team. Many feel that giving Morocco the title months after the final was unjust, but this could elevate this squad even further.

Either way, Morocco is too good to be eliminated from this group, but their style makes them unlikely winners. They are best-suited for the knockouts, where their amazing defense and work rate will make them a tough opponent for anyone, including the best teams in the tournament.

It’s been almost 30 years since Scotland last played in the World Cup, so the entire country is excited. The team has never reached the knockouts, but the new format makes it much easier to progress.

Scotland’s results have been all over the place in the past few years, making it really hard to evaluate this team’s chances. The squad features proven players like Scott McTominay, Ryan Christie, John McGinn, Aaron Hickey, and Andy Robertson, but there’s not much talent outside of them.

The team will have to rely mostly on hard work and strong defensive displays to progress. On the bright side, they do have some punching power on the other end, so I expect them to beat Haiti comfortably.

Stylistically, Scotland is an inconvenient match-up for Morocco and Brazil, as the European side will defend deep and try to limit space. I won’t be shocked if they take something from at least one of the games, so progressing to the next stage is a very realistic prospect.

What happens after that is a different question, but the odds of -325 for Scotland to reach the knockouts for the first time in their history is one of the best options on the board.

I don’t want to be disrespectful to Haiti, but reaching the World Cup is an enormous success and anything more than that looks impossible right now. The team simply doesn’t have enough quality to truly compete at this level, which is understandable for a country that barely has any traditions in soccer.

The squad features decent players like Duckens Nazon, Wilson Isidor, Johnny Placide, and Danley Jean Jacques, but the overall level of talent is nowhere near the other three teams in the group.

Haiti will likely try to stay back and hit on the counter, as they don’t have the players to control the tempo against Brazil, Morocco, or Scotland. Unfortunately, they don’t have the defense to hold their opponents either, so I don’t think that will work out.

I expect three defeats for the underdog, but I can see them scoring a goal or two because their best players are up front.