First Time in History – 8 Arab Teams at the World Cup
Saudi Arabia · Qatar · Jordan · Morocco · Algeria · Tunisia · Egypt · Iraq
Kuwait did not make it to the 2026 World Cup, but three Gulf neighbours did: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan, the last of them reaching a first ever World Cup. With 48 teams and more matches than ever, there is plenty for a Kuwaiti bettor to follow. This page covers where to bet, the best World Cup offers, the format and the markets worth your money.
Want to bet on the World Cup? Betfinal is running one of the strongest campaigns this tournament. Read more in our BetFinal World Cup 2026 review.
Arab Teams’ Next Matches
Kuwait are not at the World Cup, but the Gulf and Arab sides are. Here are the upcoming fixtures for the Arab teams, with kick-off times in Kuwait time (GMT+3). We update this after each matchday.
Saudi Arabia – Group H
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (Kuwait) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 15 June | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Miami, USA | 01:00 |
| Sun 21 June | Saudi Arabia vs Spain | Atlanta, USA | 19:00 |
| Fri 27 June | Saudi Arabia vs Cape Verde | Houston, USA | 03:00 |
Qatar – Group B
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (Kuwait) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 13 June | Qatar vs Switzerland | Seattle, USA | 22:00 |
| Thu 19 June | Qatar vs Canada | Seattle, USA | 01:00 |
| Wed 25 June | Qatar vs Bosnia & Herz. | Toronto, Canada | 22:00 |
Jordan – Group J
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (Kuwait) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 17 June | Jordan vs Austria | San Francisco, USA | 19:00 |
| Tue 23 June | Jordan vs Algeria | San Francisco, USA | 06:00 |
| Sun 28 June | Jordan vs Argentina | Boston, USA | 05:00 |
Morocco – Group C
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (Kuwait) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 13 June | Morocco vs Brazil | Miami, USA | 02:00 |
| Thu 19 June | Morocco vs Scotland | Boston, USA | 22:00 |
| Wed 25 June | Morocco vs Haiti | Atlanta, USA | 02:00 |
Algeria – Group J
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (Kuwait) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 16 June | Algeria vs Argentina | Kansas City, USA | 04:00 |
| Mon 22 June | Algeria vs Austria | Dallas, USA | 19:00 |
| Sun 28 June | Algeria vs Jordan | San Francisco, USA | 05:00 |
Egypt – Group G
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (Kuwait) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 15 June | Egypt vs Belgium | Seattle, USA | 21:00 |
| Sun 22 June | Egypt vs New Zealand | Vancouver, Canada | 00:00 |
| Fri 27 June | Egypt vs Iran | Seattle, USA | 04:00 |
Tunisia – Group L
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (Kuwait) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 14 June | Tunisia vs Sweden | Guadalajara, Mexico | 06:00 |
| Sun 21 June | Tunisia vs Japan | Guadalajara, Mexico | 03:00 |
| Thu 26 June | Tunisia vs Netherlands | Kansas City, USA | 03:00 |
Iraq – Group I
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off (Kuwait) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 17 June | Iraq vs Norway | Boston, USA | 01:00 |
| Mon 23 June | Iraq vs France | Philadelphia, USA | 00:00 |
| Fri 26 June | Iraq vs Senegal | Toronto, Canada | 22:00 |
Where to Bet on the 2026 World Cup
A handful of sites stand out for the World Cup, each with its own welcome offer and tournament promotions. We have used all of them, and the list below is our honest take on what each does well. If you sign up for just one, Betfinal is our pick this tournament, mainly because of the rewards it keeps running through the matches rather than a one-off welcome bonus.
American Express
Cryptocurrency
Jeton
Mastercard
MuchBetter
Skrill
SticPay
Visa
Voucherry
Wire Transfer
Cryptocurrency
Voucherry
American Express
Cryptocurrency
ecoPayz
Jeton
Mastercard
MuchBetter
SticPay
Visa
Voucherry
Cryptocurrency
Mastercard
Neteller
PaysafeCard
Skrill
Visa
Cryptocurrency
Mastercard
MuchBetter
Neteller
Skrill
Visa
Cryptocurrency
Mastercard
MuchBetter
Neteller
Skrill
Visa
Cryptocurrency
ecoPayz
Mastercard
MuchBetter
Neteller
Skrill
Visa
Cryptocurrency
Mastercard
Neteller
PaysafeCard
Visa
Wire Transfer
American Express
Cryptocurrency
Mastercard
Neteller
Skrill
Visa
American Express
Apple Pay
Cryptocurrency
Mastercard
Neteller
Skrill
Visa
Wire Transfer
World Cup Bonuses Worth Claiming
A welcome bonus matters, but the World Cup is a month of football, so the offers that keep paying are the ones that count. Betfinal has leaned into that. Its $25,000 Leaderboard runs all the way to the final on 19 July, with the top 20 players sharing the pool and first place taking $10,000 in cash, and even losing bets earn points. For outright bettors there is a Top Scorer offer: place a $20 outright on your pick and you get a $5 Freebet every time he scores. Collect all 10 badges in the Digital Passport during the tournament and you enter the draw for an iPad Pro. Add Early Settlement, which pays out a 3-0 lead straight away even if the final score changes, and you have offers that reward you across the whole month, not just at sign-up.
$25,000 Leaderboard
Every bet earns points, wins and losses both count. Top 20 players share the pool, first place takes $10,000 cash. Runs all the way to the Final on 19 July.
Top Scorer Freebet
Place a $20 outright on the Golden Boot market and earn a $5 freebet every time your picked player scores. The earlier you back your striker, the more you collect.
Digital Passport
Complete 10 betting challenges to fill your passport. Each badge earns Leaderboard points, and collecting all 10 enters you into a draw for an iPad Pro.
Early Settlement
If the team you backed goes 3-0 up at any point, your bet pays out immediately, even if the score later changes. Settlement is automatic, no action needed.
Where the 2026 World Cup is Played, and the New Format
The 2026 World Cup is the first hosted by three countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the first with 48 teams instead of 32. They are split into 12 groups of four. For bettors, more teams means more matches and more markets, and a longer group stage where value is often easier to find than in the knockouts. Read our full format guide here.
48 teams split into 12 groups of 4 teams each. Top 2 from each group advance automatically. The 8 best third-placed teams also qualify, making 32 teams total in the first knockout round, the new Round of 32.
Host Countries
| Country | Venues | Cities |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2 | Toronto, Vancouver |
| United States (Lead host) | 11 | New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia + more |
| Mexico | 3 | Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey |
First World Cup co-hosted by three nations. 16 venues. 48 teams. 104 matches.
How the Tournament Works
Each group plays three matches. The top two from every group advance, along with the eight best third-placed teams, which gives 32 teams in the first knockout round, the new Round of 32. From there it is the Round of 16, the quarter-finals, the semi-finals and the final on 19 July. The Round of 32 is new for 2026, so a few extra teams get a knockout shot they would not have had under the old format.
| Stage | Teams | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group stage | 48 | 11 June – 27 June | Top 2 per group + 8 best 3rd-placed teams advance |
| Round of 32 | 32 | Late June | New for 2026 – first knockout round |
| Round of 16 | 16 | Early July | |
| Quarter-finals | 8 | 4 – 5 July | |
| Semi-finals | 4 | 8 – 9 July | |
| The Final | 2 | 19 July 2026 |
Groups and Gulf Teams’ Schedules
Here is how the 12 groups line up. Saudi Arabia are in Group H, Qatar in Group B, and Jordan in Group J alongside Argentina, their first ever World Cup opponents.
| Group | Teams |
|---|---|
| Group A | Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czechia |
| Group B ★ | Canada, Bosnia & Herz., Qatar, Switzerland |
| Group C | Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland |
| Group D | United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkiye |
| Group E | Portugal, DR Congo, Uruguay, Romania |
| Group F | England, Nigeria, Netherlands, El Salvador |
| Group G | Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand |
| Group H ★ | Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay |
| Group I | France, Senegal, Iraq, Norway |
| Group J ★ | Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan |
| Group K | Germany, Japan, Chile, Uzbekistan |
| Group L | Croatia, Tunisia, Sweden, Curacao |
★ = Groups containing Gulf/Arab teams highlighted for Kuwaiti bettors
Saudi Arabia – Group H fixtures (Kuwait time)
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 15 June | Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay | Kansas City, USA | 01:00 |
| Sat 21 June | Saudi Arabia vs Spain | Dallas, USA | 19:00 |
| Sat 27 June | Saudi Arabia vs Cape Verde | Atlanta, USA | 03:00 |
Qatar – Group B fixtures (Kuwait time)
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 13 June | Qatar vs Switzerland | Los Angeles, USA | 22:00 |
| Thu 19 June | Qatar vs Canada | Seattle, USA | 01:00 |
| Wed 24 June | Qatar vs Bosnia & Herz. | Toronto, Canada | 22:00 |
Jordan – Group J fixtures (Kuwait time)
| Date | Match | Venue | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 17 June | Jordan vs Austria | Philadelphia, USA | 19:00 |
| Tue 23 June | Jordan vs Algeria | San Francisco, USA | 06:00 |
| Sun 28 June | Jordan vs Argentina | Boston, USA | 05:00 |
The Eight Arab Teams at the World Cup
A record eight Arab nations are at the 2026 World Cup: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq. Morocco arrive as the side that reached the semi-finals in 2022. Jordan are here for the very first time. Iraq are back after a 40-year wait.
| Team | Group | Key Player | First Match | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | H | Salem Al-Dawsari | vs Uruguay | 15 June |
| Qatar | B | Akram Afif | vs Switzerland | 13 June |
| Jordan (First ever WC) | J | Yazan Al-Naimat | vs Austria | 17 June |
| Morocco | C | Achraf Hakimi | vs Brazil | 13 June |
| Tunisia | L | Hannibal Mejbri | vs Sweden | 14 June |
| Algeria | J | Riyad Mahrez | vs Argentina | 16 June |
| Egypt | G | Mohamed Salah | vs Belgium | 15 June |
| Iraq | I | Ali Jassim | vs Norway | 17 June |
The Best World Cup Betting Markets
Two kinds of bet carry most of the World Cup action. Outrights, where you back the tournament winner or the top scorer, and match markets, where you bet on a single game. Outrights are where the season-long offers pay off: if you are backing a Golden Boot pick, Betfinal’s Top Scorer offer turns every goal he scores into a $5 Freebet once you have placed the $20 outright. For match betting, the most popular markets are over/under, handicap, both teams to score and first goalscorer.
| Market | How it works | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Outright winner | Back one team to win the whole tournament. Odds are longest before the group stage and shorten as teams progress. | Read guide |
| ⚽ Top scorer / Golden Boot (Betfinal offer) | Back a player to finish as top goalscorer. Place a $20 outright on Betfinal and earn a $5 freebet every time your pick scores. | Read guide |
| Over / Under | Bet on whether total goals will be over or under a set line (usually 2.5). You do not need to pick a winner. | Read guide |
| ⚖️ Handicap | One team starts with a virtual goal advantage or deficit. Useful when backing a strong favourite at short odds. | Read guide |
| Both teams to score | Bet on whether both sides will score at least once. The result does not matter, only that each team finds the net. | Read guide |
| First goalscorer | Back a player to score the very first goal of the match. Higher odds than anytime scorer, best on strikers with a strong opening-goal record. | Read guide |
| Accumulator | Combine multiple match selections into one bet for bigger returns. All legs must win, but the World Cup’s volume of games makes it popular. | Read guide |
| Group stage betting | Markets specific to the group stage: who qualifies, which team tops the group, total group goals. Good value before the knockouts tighten things up. | Read guide |
A Few Tips Before You Bet
- Set a budget before the tournament starts. Decide what you are comfortable spending across the whole month before the first match kicks off, and stick to it.
- Spread your outrights. Rather than putting everything on one winner, split your outright stake across two or three teams at different prices.
- Read up on a market before you use it. Our guides on over/under, handicap and accumulators walk through how each market works before you place a bet.
- Use the offers that run all tournament. A one-off welcome bonus is gone after your first deposit. Promotions like the Betfinal Leaderboard keep paying from the group stage to the Final.
Test your bracket with the Livekoora World Cup predictor
How to Start Betting on the World Cup
Getting set up takes a few minutes. Choose a site, create an account, make your first deposit with a method that works in Kuwait, and claim the welcome offer before your first bet. Betting is for adults aged 18 and over. Always bet responsibly.
- Choose a site. Pick a licensed sportsbook with good World Cup markets and a strong offer. Our top pick this tournament is Betfinal.
- Create an account. Register with your name, email and date of birth. Takes a few minutes. You must be 18 or over to open an account.
- Make a deposit. Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Skrill, Neteller, MuchBetter and crypto are all accepted. Local bank transfers via NBK and CBK also work at most operators.
- Claim your welcome offer. Activate the bonus before your first bet. At Betfinal that is a 100% match up to $200 plus access to the $25,000 Leaderboard.
Betting is for adults aged 18 and over. Always bet responsibly.
FAQs
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
It runs from 11 June to 19 July 2026, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Which Arab teams are at the 2026 World Cup?
Eight: Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Iraq. It is a record for Arab representation at a World Cup.
Why is Kuwait not at the World Cup?
Kuwait did not qualify through the AFC qualification rounds. Three Gulf neighbours did, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan, giving Kuwaiti fans plenty to follow this summer.
What is the Round of 32?
The new first knockout round introduced for the 48-team format. The top two from each of the 12 groups advance automatically, plus the eight best third-placed teams, making 32 teams in total.
What is the best site for World Cup betting in Kuwait?
We rate Betfinal highest this tournament for the rewards that run throughout it, including the $25,000 Leaderboard and the Top Scorer Freebet. Read our full Betfinal World Cup review for the details.
Can I bet on Saudi Arabia to win the World Cup?
Yes, Saudi Arabia are available in the outright winner market. They are in a tough Group H with Spain and Uruguay, but qualifying from the group is a realistic market to consider. See our Saudi Arabia World Cup guide for more.