TST Best Bets: July 18, 2026

There are only two chances left to bet on the 2026 World Cup, and while Sunday’s final will represent the culmination of a month of unforgettable soccer, there’s a sour taste in the mouths of both teams playing in today’s bronze medal matchup.

Both France and England were the favorites in their matchups to advance to the final, but suffered incredibly difficult losses in the semifinals. 

France was thoroughly outplayed in a 2-0 loss to Spain, while England held a late lead over Argentina before surrendering two goals in the final minutes of a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat.

However, there is still much to be played for on Saturday. Kylian Mbappé enters the game tied with Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race, while France will look to send Didier Deschamps out with a victory in his final match after 14 years as manager. England, meanwhile, has the chance to secure its best World Cup finish since winning the tournament in 1966.

With two frustrated contenders and some of the tournament’s greatest attacking talent sharing the field, here are tonight's TST Best Bets brought to you by BetOnline.ag. Click here to join. All new players get a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets.

First Pick: France 3-Way Regulation ML (-115)

Rundown: While both nations will view this World Cup as a major missed opportunity, England has consistently graded out as the weakest of the four teams playing this weekend.

England has posted a +0.44 expected goal differential in the tournament, well behind France’s +1.27, and narrowly escaped both DR Congo and Norway along the way.

France was dominant against every opponent until running into Spain, and with Mbappé still chasing the Golden Boot, expect Les Bleus to finish the tournament with a decisive victory.

Second Pick: England vs. France – Over 3.5 goals (+112)

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

July 15, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.; England's Elliot Anderson, Anthony Gordon, and Jude Bellingham in action with Argentina's Lionel Messi.

Rundown: England’s emotional state following its crushing semifinal defeat is a major reason to target the over in this matchup.

The Three Lions were minutes away from reaching the World Cup final before conceding twice late against Argentina, and it may be difficult to match the same defensive intensity in a third-place game. If England comes out flat or plays more freely with less at stake, France has more than enough attacking talent to take advantage.

There should still be plenty of individual motivation on both sides, as four of the tournament’s five leading scorers, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Ousmane Dembélé, could feature in this game. With Mbappé still battling for the Golden Boot and both teams loaded with elite finishers, expect an open matchup that produces at least three goals.