World Cup 2023 Predictions: Favourites, Underdogs , Group Stage Winners

The FIFA World Cup is the most anticipated football tournament by fans worldwide and every four years it brings the whole world to a standstill. This time, the event will be held in Qatar and will kick off on November 21st and have the final on December 18th.

Without a doubt, fans everywhere will be rooting for their favourite teams, and some may even go as far as staking on them. Despite numerous bookmakers having displayed their odds, the top betting sites in Kenya offer competitive odds and a bunch of bonuses, even for new players. But before you plan on how you’ll bet, it’s best to know which teams are the favourites to win the competition and even the group stages. 

Who are the Fan Favourites in the FIFA 2023 World Cup?

Sure, every supporter has their number one pick for the World Cup, however, some teams have a better chance of winning than others. This can be because of many reasons, such as having a winning history or having a lethal squad with top players. 

Among the many countries, Brazil is the most prosperous nation to participate in the World Cup. It has not only garnered five wins but has also attended the World Cup the most number of times. After qualifying for the games, fans await to see the all-stars team in full swing with bated breath. With headliners such as Thiago, Neymar Jr., Fabinho and Vinicius Jr., it is no wonder fans are in eager anticipation to see what Brazil has in store for them in this year’s World Cup.

Previous champions France are a darling to fans as well. Having taken the title home twice, the Giants expect to make this their third time. Led by their captain Hugo Lloris the team has fierce stars such as Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema, who have all had a great season in their respective football clubs.

Boasting many top tier Premier League players, England is a top contender to take the cup home. Many big names in football, Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, Raheem Sterling, and Mason Mount being their gist, stem from England. The team is predicted to taste victory for the second time since 1966.

Who are the World Cup 2023 Underdogs?

Apart from the significantly famous teams, others haven’t inspired much confidence among fans. These are teams dubbed least likely to lift the cup, but football is always full of surprises, so only time will tell. 

Fans seem to have little confidence in Saudi Arabia’s football team as the team has received little or no attention. Saudi Arabia’s national team has participated in six previous World Cup Tournaments. Of these, it has only made it past the Group Stage once, doing so in 1994.

Having attended the World Cup twice, New Zealand seems unpopular among fans. The team’s total scores add up to four goals, which they scored in the 1982 and 2010 group stages. With hardly any notable headliners, the team is set to struggle against fierce adversaries from stronger teams.

Iran pales in comparison to other top tier teams worldwide. The team has qualified for the World Cup five times and has been eliminated at the group stage four times, putting a dent in its track record. 

Which Teams Will Top the World Cup 2023 Group Stages?

The World Cup is set to commence with eight group stages, A all through to H. For each group, here are the teams that are most likely to claim the number 1 spot.

Group A

Group A will feature Senegal, Netherlands, Qatar and Ecuador. At this stage, the Netherlands is a top pick for the win. Led by Van Dijk, the Netherlands will be bringing in the heat, with stars like Memphis Depay and Frenkie de Jong being at the forefront. Senegal will also be a formidable opponent, with players such as IsmaIla Sarr, Sadio Mane and Edouard Mendy leading the pack.

Group B

Group B’s participants will be England, Iran, the USA and Wales/Scotland/Ukraine, depending on who wins the qualifying matches. England has this in the bag as the team has plenty of famous stars in reserve. Despite the USA being a solid team, it is still no match for England, which has upheld the football culture for years.

Group C

Argentina is expected to breeze through and claim the win in this group. Splendid big names such as Di Maria and Lionel Messi will slim the chances of Saudi Arabia and Mexico pulling through. Poland may pose a threat with top scorer Robert Lewandoski, but they’ll have to up their game to overcome the South American giants.

Group D

Group D features France, Denmark, Tunisia and Peru/UAE/Australia. Having already claimed the title in 2018, France is expected to capture the win with minimal difficulty and even defend their ‘World Cup Winners’ title.

Group E

Group E will be an all-out brawl between Spain, Japan, Germany, and Costa Rica/New Zealand, with Spain anticipated to grab the win but other teams will have put up a fight. Germany will prove quite the foe, but great Spanish stars like Sergio Ramos and David De Gea might just keep them in check.

Group F

Group F will have Belgium, Canada, Morocco and Croatia. The Belgium team is the strongest in this group with Romelu Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, who have had a great show in their clubs, in the front row. Also, Belgium finished third in the 2018 World Cup and had an impressive performance in the Euro 2020.

Group G

Brazil, Switzerland, Serbia and Cameroon qualified for the Group D fixtures. Brazil is the most likely to win being the team with the most World Cup wins and appearances. Cameroon might be a pain for them, but that won’t stop them from qualifying as first place. 

Group H

This group’s participants will be Portugal, Ghana, South Korea and Uruguay. Cristiano Ronaldo will play for Portugal, and with support from other players such as Cancelo and Andre Silva, they might have the perfect squad. However, Uruguay, Ghana and even South Korea aren’t small rivals that Portugal will walk over. Group H easily identifies as the ‘Group of Death’ and to be honest, one can’t easily pick the winner.

Who do you think will take home the World Cup Winners title this year?