The 2026 World Cup in North America – still a few months away, but the betting action in Nairobi is already starting to heat up. It’s late February 2026 as we speak and over here in Kenya the big boys – Paripesa and Mozzartbet – are holding fire on their promotional banners till the final playoff spots get sorted out. But in reality the outright markets are already taking shape, and this is all about looking for some value. Because once the hype machine kicks into gear in May those odds are gonna get slashed big time. So if you want to play the long game, keep reading.
What are the Betting Sites Thinking?
The Europeans are currently leading the way, but there’s still a certain team from South America that everyone is a little bit scared of. We’re talking about the current international markets (which are pretty much mirrored by our local bookies) so here are the front runners as they stand at the moment, courtesy of Bet365:
- Spain (5.50): The reigning Euro champions and one hell of a team to boot – with stars like Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams they are the complete package, and have a very fluid style of play that’s causing a lot of headaches for opponents.
- England (7.00): Thomas Tuchel has taken over the Three Lions and boy have they changed. They’ve become a rock solid defensive unit all of a sudden and fans are starting to ask the question – is it finally coming home this time round?
- France (7.50): With Kylian Mbappé on top of his game, Les Bleus are still a major force in world football. And you know what? They have a track record of getting to the final, back to back no less, so you’d have to think they’re due for a deep run in 2026.
- Argentina (9.00): Defending World champs and looking good to do it all over again – Lionel Messi is getting on a bit but he’s still the man and the team looks unstoppable in the qualifying rounds.
- Brazil (9.00): Old faithful and a perennial favourite among Kenyan punters. Carlo Ancelotti has brought a bit more discipline to the table and you know that flair they always have in store is still there.
And what about the African teams?
For the first time ever Africa has got 9 spots in the bag (and a possible 10th coming our way in the March playoffs).
- Morocco (81.00): Those Atlas Lions made a real splash in the 2022 World Cup didn’t they? And they were pretty good hosts to boot at the 2025 AFCON. So while they’re not a total dark horse, they still offer a pretty good value play if you’re feeling patriotic.
- Senegal (121.00): Now that’s a tough draw – France, Norway and them all in one group? Brutal. But at those odds its just a ‘what if’ play that could be a pretty tasty little wager.
- Ivory Coast (201.00): They had a pretty solid run in the qualifying rounds where they went unbeaten and are looking like dark horses now. Could they be the surprise package of the knockout stages?
- Nigeria/Cameroon: Worth keeping an eye on the March Intercontinental Playoffs if Nigeria can get through, I guess their odds will settle in the 151.00 ball park.
The Golden Boot
The expanded 48-team tournament is going to create a whole lot more chances for goal-scoring superstars to rack up their stats, a total of 104 matches over the course of the tournament
Kylian Mbappé (7.00). This lad is on a mission to break the all time record and he’s been tearing it up for both Real Madrid and his country France.
Harry Kane (8.00). England are facing off against Panama and Ghana in group L – remember that hat-trick he scored in the 2018 tournament? Kane just loves to start his World Cup off with a hat-trick bang in the group stages.
Erling Haaland (15.00). This is Haaland’s first ever World Cup, if Norway manages to stay in the competition past the group stage then they’re going to have nightmare on there hands – his goal-scoring ability is seriously off the charts.
Where to bet on the World Cup in Kenya?
As of the end of February most of the local bookies (places that use Paybill like Afropari or Linebet) still haven’t made public when they will start taking wagers on the World Cup outrights. You can still go online and have a look and bet ahead on specific matches if you can find them.
FAQs
Who is favourite to win the World Cup 2026?
At the moment, it’s a two-way tie at the top – England and Spain are seen as the top contenders by most of the bookies. But with all the success Spain have had in European football in recent times, they’re sort of the slight favourites.
- Spain – 5.50
- England – 7.00
- France – 7.50
- Brazil – 8.50
- Argentina – 9.00
When does betting open for World Cup outrights?
Now the bookies like Bet365 and Paddy Power have been having these odds up for years now, but they work a bit differently in the Kenyan market. The problem is that local bookies typically don’t tend to put up “Outright” markets until well after the domestic season has gotten quiet, or often even just before the start of the tournament (that usually happens between March and May). They tend to focus on live games and qualifiers first.
Can I bet on World Cup games from Kenya?
Well, yes – betting on sports is legal and really popular in Kenya, the industry is in fact regulated by the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA) under the Gambling Control Act from 2025.
What is outright betting in the World Cup?
Outright betting (also known as “Futures”) is when you put a bet on what the overall winner of the tournament will be – not just on a single match. It means you can bet on who you think will lift the trophy, who you think will be the star of the tournament (the Golden Boot winner) or even which teams you think will get knocked out in the first round of the group stages. The odds can get shorter (smaller payouts) the closer it gets to the tournament, or if a team starts performing really well. And if you bet right at the start then you often get a bigger payout.
