France are huge -1100 favorites on the night
High-scoring affair expected in Philadelphia
France could secure qualification to the round of 32 with a win
France will be expected to make light work of an Iraq side that comes fresh off a 4-1 loss at the hands of Norway. We’ve got a feeling this upcoming Group I match may not be a case of figuring out who will win, but by how many.
Wagering Needed (WR): 1x Deposit. T&Cs and 21+ apply
| Date | June 22nd 2026 |
| Time | 4:00 PM |
| Venue | Philadelphia Stadium, PA |
| Moneyline | France -1100; Draw +1000; Iraq +2700 |
| Total | Over 2.5 -295; Under 2.5 +220 |
No doubt the French national team will still be replaying the heartbreak of Qatar 2022, where a Mbappe hat-trick wasn’t quite enough to see them lift the trophy. This year, they look as focused as ever, though, with a convincing 3-1 win over Senegal to set the tone. Now, they come up against an Iraq team that has already suffered a huge defeat at the hands of Norway. A 4-1 loss will be demoralizing for any camp, but knowing that you are going up against an in-form Mbappe, Olise, and co will fill you with dread.
On paper (and on the pitch), we can only really see this one going one way. Despite taking the game to Norway, Iraq looked out of place in just about all areas of the pitch, and it didn’t look like any of the defense knew how to handle a physical striker like Haaland. Although, in fairness, he does the same to the English Premier League’s best defenders week-in, week-out.
Up front, Iraq were quick to counter, but had very little to offer in the final third. Of course, Aymen Hussein sneaked a goal in the 39th minute, breaking a 40-year drought for the country, but we can’t see the same happening against AC Milan’s Mike Maignan.
We could go through the full French line-up and discuss quality, but let us start with some stats first. Against Senegal, France had 54% of the possession, which isn’t a complete demolition job. However, with their 54% possession, they managed 11 shots, and 8 out of those were on target. When these shots are coming from the likes of Mbappe, Barcola, Olise, Dembele, and Doue, goals are going to come. Unfortunately for Iraq, even a French B Team is going to outplay and overpower them, and we suspect France to move on to six points with some ease.
Wagering Needed (WR): 1x Deposit. T&Cs and 21+ apply
France (-1100)
Although we have to pick France as the outright winners here, we wouldn’t necessarily be placing bets on it. -1100 is not a mistake on our part; the odds really are -1100. Really, this is a lose-lose situation. To make anything from a winning -1100 bet, you would need to put down a significant wager – something that is out of reach for the average bettor. Not to mention how you’d feel in the unlikely event of a loss or a draw. In truth, the -1100 France moneyline is best placed within a small accumulator, or as part of a same-game parlay. Fortunately, we have some other picks for you to follow.
Over 2.5 (-295)
This one was quite an easy pick for our experts, and seems to be the consensus across all World Cup betting sites. We only have to look at France’s outing against Senegal, and Iraq’s result with Norway to see that goals are on the cards.
Haaland led the line for Norway, but France have threats from all over the park, and we think they will prove too much for Iraq to cope with. If France got in the rhythm, you could see over 2.5 in the first half, but we would be surprised if we weren’t to see a 3-0 (or above) scoreline at the end of 90 minutes.
Michael Olise (+125)
This is one of the toughest markets to judge, but with Mbappe at -210 and Mateta at -135, we thought we’d back Michael Olise at +125. The +125 will work well as a single or as part of a parlay, and we also get the feeling that shots from further out will start to come as soon as France get themselves ahead.
As mentioned, Iraq struggled on the break, with very little to offer in the final third. If France get a head by one or two in the first half, we expect Olise to be trying his luck outside the box – just as he has done all year with Bayern.
We have covered just about all we need ahead of this one. To recap, we should be seeing France take the win, goals flying in from every angle, and we have a feeling that Olise could be on the scoresheet when the final whistle blows. Fanduel has supplied the odds today, and you can make the most of them by simply clicking on the links on this page.
Wagering Needed (WR): 1x Deposit. T&Cs and 21+ apply
Loading …
