The defending World Cup champions begin knockout round play on Friday when Argentina takes on Cape Verde at 6 p.m. ET, putting Lionel Messi back on the field in his chase for the Golden Boot. Messi is tied for the most goals (six) in the 2026 World Cup despite not playing his fourth game yet. Argentina vs. Cape Verde is the middle of a three-game World Cup 2026 slate on Friday with Australia vs. Egypt at 2 p.m. ET and Colombia vs. Ghana at 9:30 p.m. ET. SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green expects Argentina and Messi to keep rolling into the quarterfinals, parlaying Argentina to cover a 1.5-goal spread with Messi scoring at -132 odds. Argentina are -700 favorites (risk $700 to win $100), according to the newest 2026 World Cup odds at FanDuel Sportsbook, with Cape Verde at +2000 underdogs and a draw priced at +650 on the 90-minute money line, with Green saying, “Messi scored a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win against Algeria, before firing in both goals in a 2-0 victory over Austria on Matchday 2.”
In the final game on Friday, Colombia are -240 favorites, while Ghana are +700 underdogs with a tie priced at +340 on the 90-minute money line. Green is backing Colombia to win and Under 3.5 total goals scored for a -124 payout. In the opening match of Australia vs. Egypt, SportsLine expert Matt Severance is backing Egypt Draw No Bet at -150 odds. Before locking in your 2026 World Cup picks and other World Cup bets on betting sites like FanDuel, be sure to check out top picks from the team of experts at SportsLine. After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year, Green was profitable in multiple areas on his soccer betting picks, including the Champions League (+211.25) and Bundesliga (+100). He’s also been red-hot in 2026, posting an 18-8 record over his last 26 UCL picks, returning nearly $1,000 in profit. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.
Top World Cup picks for Friday
- Australia vs. Egypt: Egypt Tie No Bet (-150)
- Argentina vs. Cape Verde: Argentina (-1.5) + Lionel Messi to score (-132)
- Colombia vs. Ghana: Colombia to win + Under 3.5 total goals (-124)
Australia vs. Egypt: Egypt Tie No Bet (-150)
“Neither country has won a knockout round match with Egypt in one for the first time,” SportsLine expert Matt Severance mentioned. “Mohamed Saleh apparently has been cleared from injury suffered in the group finale to play. He is one of five goalscorers for the Pharaohs thus far. Midfielder Hamdy Fathy missed the group finale but also will play. The Socceroos managed only two goals in the group stage — both against Turkiye when Australia managed a scant 28.4% possession.”
Argentina vs. Cape Verde: Argentina (-1.5) + Lionel Messi to score (-132)
“Messi scored seven goals to lead his team to World Cup glory in 2022,” SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green mentioned. “He was 35 years old at the time, so most fans expected that to be his last World Cup. However, he’s still going strong at the ripe old age of 39, and he has already blazed a trail of destruction across this tournament. Messi scored a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win against Algeria, before firing in both goals in a 2-0 victory over Austria on Matchday 2.”
Colombia vs. Ghana: Colombia to win + Under 3.5 total goals (-124)
“Ghana have only scored twice in three games, which is a little concerning, and their reputation for defensive solidity was also dented by that defeat to Croatia,” Green mentioned. “This is unlikely to be an open, entertaining game — Under 3.5 goals has paid off in each of Ghana’s last six games — but Colombia should get the job done.”
