SportsLine experts outline World Cup betting strategy for Saturday’s Group Stage fixtures

Sports betting analysts Jon Eimer and Martin Green from SportsLine have released their strategic picks for the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches scheduled for Saturday. The experts have structured a three-leg parlay available on FanDuel, targeting Group Stage fixtures that include Switzerland versus Qatar, Brazil versus Morocco, and Turkey versus Australia.

Martin Green has identified Switzerland as the clear favourite to defeat Qatar in their Group B encounter at Levi’s Stadium in California. Green cites Switzerland’s robust squad composition, which includes players such as Gregor Kobel, Granit Xhaka, and Breel Embol, as a decisive factor against Qatar. He notes that Qatar’s performance in the 2022 World Cup, where they lost all three group stage matches, suggests they are likely to finish at the bottom of the group. Green highlights that Switzerland has not lost a match since November 2024 and is considered the strongest team in their group.

In Group C, Jon Eimer recommends a bet on Morocco to avoid defeat against Brazil, specifically backing the Morocco Double Chance market, which covers a win or a draw. Although Brazil are favourites to win the tournament and are favoured by oddsmakers for this specific match, Eimer points to Morocco’s defensive strength and their roster of European-based talent, including Brahim Diaz, Achraf Hakimi, and Noussair Mazraoui. He argues that Morocco’s dominant defence and world-class talent across the pitch make them a difficult opponent for any side in the competition.

Eimer also addresses the Group D fixture between Turkey and Australia. While he anticipates Turkey will score early and likely win the match, he expects Australia, despite being underdogs with the longest odds to win the group, to provide a significant challenge. Eimer predicts that Turkey’s early goal will force Australia to adopt a higher press, potentially leading to an exciting fixture with multiple goals. He notes that Australia demonstrated serious fight during the qualifiers and is unlikely to concede without a contest.

The betting advice comes as the 2026 World Cup, which kicked off on Thursday with matches across North America, enters its third matchday. The experts’ recent records provide context for their selections, with Eimer holding a record of 64-41-3 in Serie A picks and 17-9-2 in Bundesliga picks over his last 108 and 28 selections respectively. Green recorded an 18-8 success rate in Champions League picks over his last 26 selections.