2026 World Cup- Quarter Final Picks (Thursday 9th July-Saturday 11th July)

There has always been a sense that the World Cup should be the pinnacle of football and that means it should be a tournament that shows off the very best of the sport.

While there have been some very good matches, the controversial moments are making the bigger headlines and that is not a good thing.

FIFA made a decision to reprieve the United States striker of a suspension, which has broken all protocols, and it was clearly a decision that was made to appease the President. This comes in the same tournament where a FIFA appointed official was not allowed into the United States and where Iran were forced to travel in and out of the country, which ultimately affected the levels of performances they could produce.

And just when the Round of 16 may have been concluding without too many more moments of negativity, the Argentina-Egypt game was filled with some strange officiating that will only fuel conspiracy theories.

The only hope is that the Quarter Final matches are won by the quality on the field and not the lack of quality in the officiating, which has been a real feature of this tournament.

For the first time, FIFA decided to 'Seed' the top four Ranked teams in the Rankings and that meant they would avoid one another until the Semi Final as long as they won their Groups and then three Knock Out Rounds.

France, Spain, England and Argentina have all done their part in different ways and they are all going to be favourites to Qualify from the Quarter Final matches against Morocco, Belgium, Norway and Switzerland respectively.

You have to anticipate some resistance, but the top four teams should be favoured and that could potentially set up some huge football matches next week as the 2026 Finals come to a conclusion.

World Cup- Quarter Final Picks

Thursday 9th July

France vs Morocco Pick: These nations met at the 2022 World Cup in a Semi Final that was won by France, but Morocco had come through some very tough matches prior to that and perhaps ran out of steam.

The squad has changed significantly since that World Cup Semi Final and Morocco arrived in North America with a lot more belief and expectation of themselves.

Morocco have played well, but there is still a feeling that this team has lacked the kind of bite in the final third that could see them potentially become the first African team to win the World Cup. They showed a clinical touch to beat Canada 3-0 in the Last 16, but late goals put a gloss on the final scoreline and the underdog had given as good as they got for much of the fixture before Morocco took over.

They were the better team against the Netherlands, but it should be noted that Morocco have scored more than one goal against the two CONCACAF opponents faced, but not against Brazil, Scotland or Netherlands.

Ismael Saibari scored in those two Group matches against Brazil and Scotland, but picked up an injury in the Last 16 and is set to miss out, which is a huge blow for Morocco. It is likely going to mean the approach is to be organised and try and make things very difficult for the favourite and Morocco may lean on the blueprint set out by Paraguay in the last Round, albeit without the kind of challenges and dark arts that Paraguay were able to get away with.

France will take great confidence from the fact they were able to overcome Paraguay, despite all of the issues they had to deal with on the day, and they are a team that will always feel they have a difference maker in the final third to edge matches in their favour. The defence has not really been tested in the last couple of matches, but France will expect this match to be played in a very similar way as the the last Round with Morocco looking to close spaces and make things as difficult as possible.

The defensive numbers have been strong enough in this tournament to believe Morocco can make things tough, but France have shown there is a depth to the attacking talent that may ultimately give them the edge.

The expectation is that this could be another tight fixture with Morocco trying to find the right balance between attack and defence and it would not be a great surprise if one of the teams fail to find the back of the net. An early goal could change everything, but this feels like it could be competitive for a long time and that may see risks lessened the longer it is closely contested.

Friday 10th July

Spain vs Belgium Pick: A motivated Belgium team came out with a point to prove against the United States in the Last 16 and the 4-1 victory over the co-hosts will have given this squad a lot of enjoyment.

Off the field decisions made by FIFA infuriated the Belgians and they used that to fuel them as they came out with plenty of attacking intent.

The United States were a big disappointment in the Last 16, but Belgium cannot expect the same generosity from a Spanish team that have reached the World Cup Quarter Final for the first time since winning this title in 2010.

The European Champions have maintained the run of clean sheets and continue to create enough in the final third to do what is needed to earn progression. There still feels like there is more to come from Spain, but the absence of Nico Williams is a blow and that has perhaps meant Spain have lacked the kind of quality that took them to the European Championship title two years ago.

In saying that, Spain are still a threat going forward and they should find spaces to exploit against this Belgium defence that were put under the cosh by Senegal.

Belgium's Rudi Garcia has to be credited for some of the big decisions he has made to help the team reach the Quarter Final, but he will have to make more in this one. His team can create problems for Spain, but it is all about finding the balance between attack and defence and losing Amadou Onana is a big blow.

Spain do look the team most likely to have possession and the best chances and they can win this game, while also looking for Mikel Oyarzabal to have another shot on target.

Saturday 11th July

Norway vs England Pick: You can expect to hear the famous commentary out of Norway when beating England in 1981 and the statement of 'your boys took a hell of a beating' to be played over and over again in the build up to this World Cup Quarter Final.

The players will only be focusing on the task at hand and both Norway and England have to feel this is a massive opportunity to reach a World Cup Semi Final in front of them.

England have the greater expectation to burden on their shoulders and that can be a factor, but the 2-3 win over Mexico in the Azteca Stadium will have given the players a huge lift in confidence. It was arguably the best performance the national team have produced in a World Cup Finals tournament since the 1966 World Cup Final, and clearly the best under Thomas Tuchel, and that should give the squad some real momentum to take into this match.

Moving from the altitude of Mexico City to the heat and humidity of Miami is going to be a big test, but England have the qualities to beat this Norway team.

Erling Haaland is the threat that everyone will know about and his goals have been crucial in helping Norway beat Iraq, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Brazil in this famous run. He knows how to score against English opponents and Norway will take a huge amount of encouragement from some of the defending produced by the opponent.

At the same time, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane have to be confident they can create some opportunities against a Norway team that have yet to keep a clean sheet and who conceded at least twice against Senegal and France. The chances that Brazil fashioned will be a concern for Norwegian fans, even if Haaland has shown he can get this team out of a difficult situation, and England have the capabilities of winning this match and beating another Scandinavian opponent in a World Cup Quarter Final as they did when seeing off Sweden in 2018.

Argentina vs Switzerland Pick: When the Knock Out Bracket was finalised, Argentina looked like they could not have asked for a better way to really build from the Group Stage successes.

However, the World Champions have made heavy weather of Cape Verde and Egypt and the latter of those opponents have been furious with some of the decisions made by the officials that turned the match against them.

Egypt were leading 0-2, but Argentina showed some real grit and character to score three times in the final eleven minutes and move through without the need for another fixture involving Extra Time. That should mean having some energy kept in reserve and Argentina will take encouragement from the way Colombia performed against Switzerland in the last Round.

The Swiss still got through on Penalties and they are a team that will look to make things difficult, but a more consistent threat on the other side of the pitch is important. There are vulnerabilities in this Argentina defence, which has been exploited by the last two opponents, but Switzerland have to find a balance with the way they approach this fixture.

It could be easy to sit in and look to counter, but Argentina have shown there is enough quality in the final third to create chances, even when not at their very best.

If they get into the same kind of positions as Colombia, Argentina have shown they can provide the clinical touch and they also have players who will display plenty of composure in that final third.

This should be the difference and Argentina can win this game, while scoring at least twice in the process of reaching a third World Cup Semi Final in four runnings of the tournament.

MY PICKS: France-Morocco Both Teams to Score- NO @ 1.83 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Spain to Win & Mikel Oyarzabal Over 0.5 Shots on Target @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

England to Win @ 1.85 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Argentina to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Quarter Final: 

Last 16: 6-2, + 2.52 Units (8 Units Staked, + 31.5o% Yield)

Last 32: 10-6, + 4.38 Units (16 Units Staked, + 27.38% Yield)

Group Stage MD 3: 11-11-1, - 1.29 Units (23 Units Staked, - 5.61% Yield)

Group Stage MD 2: 16-8, + 7.44 Units (24 Units Staked, + 31% Yield)

Group Stage MD 1: 12-12, - 0.30 Units (24 Units Staked, - 1.25% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 11 Picks 2026 (Thursday 9th July)

The 2026 Wimbledon has been a tournament filled with upsets throughout the first ten days of action and that all continued on Wednesday when Arthur Fery made it through to the Semi Final.

He has a day to rest before the biggest match of his young career, but the focus on Thursday will be on the Ladies Semi Finals with all four players remaining in the draw looking like they could win the title on Saturday.

The opening Semi Final looks the more likely to provide a Champion, but it is all to play for before the Men take over on Friday.

Karolina Muchova-Coco Gauff over 22.5 games: The winner of this Ladies Semi Final is likely going to be set as the favourite to win the Wimbledon title and that is going to be something that both Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff will be thinking about in the day between the Quarter Final and this final four match.

Both players came through tough Quarter Final matches in impressive style and the layers are finding it tough to separate them.

The head to head clearly favours Coco Gauff, but this is the first time they are facing one another on the grass courts and it should be noted that Karolina Muchova ended her six match losing run to the American by finally edging past her in Stuttgart. One of those wins was earned by Coco Gauff at the Australian Open back in January, which will give her confidence, but Karolina Muchova has been playing really well on the grass courts and overcame a poor head to head with Naomi Osaka to get the better of her in the last Round.

If you take away the names and look at the numbers produced on the grass courts in 2026 and the Wimbledon runs alone, you would likely have Karolina Muchova down as a stronger favourite than she is right now.

However, the head to head and the much stronger Grand Slam experience is in favour of Coco Gauff and that likely means she enters the court with more confidence to turn things back in her favour even if it begins to go wrong. The performances have not been poor in her run to the Semi Final, but Coco Gauff has had to spend a lot more time on the court and has had to come through some mental battles, which can accumulate fatigue.

Experience of these kind of stages is important though and Coco Gauff has plenty of that in her locker, which could help significantly.

Karolina Muchova has been the more effective server in this tournament, and that has allowed her to take some chances on the return. However, Coco Gauff's match up with Muchova means she will believe she can impose her return on this Semi Final and that may ultimately give her the slight edge.

Both players are very capable though, and it would not be a surprise if this is another Ladies match that ends up being very competitive and possibly surpassing the total games line in just two sets. There is every chance that this will swing back and forth as it did when Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff met in Melbourne earlier in the year and so backing this to be a match that finishes above the line set from the total games market is the plan.

Linda Noskova v Marta Kostyuk: A top ten place in the World Rankings will be secured by the winner of this Semi Final and there is a chance for Marta Kostyuk and Linda Noskova to make the kind of breakthrough on the Tour that could spark the young careers.

Last month Marta Kostyuk reached the French Open Semi Final, but struggled with the weight of expectation as she was beaten by Mirra Andreeva in straight sets. The World Number 13 will have taken a great deal of confidence from that run, even if it ended disappointingly, but Marta Kostyuk has used the experience to fuel this performance at Wimbledon.

It has been something of a surprising run when you think Marta Kostyuk decided to skip warm up tournaments and had a career 16-19 record on the surface and had lost all three matches played on grass in 2025. The draw has opened up, as it has for many, but Marta Kostyuk will take confidence from the wins over Emma Navarro and Jasmine Paolini who have both had successes on the grass.

She has only dropped a couple of sets in the five wins in the tournament, while Marta Kostyuk has used her serve to build up scoreboard pressure throughout the run. This has allowed the Ukrainian to play with aggression on the return of serve and Marta Kostyuk has put together a really strong Wimbledon, which is perhaps a reason she has been set as favourite.

Marta Kostyuk beat Linda Noskova in Madrid on the clay, but the latter has been playing with a lot more belief in her tennis on the grass courts.

Last month Linda Noskova won a title in Berlin, which included beating the likes of Alexandra Eala and Jessica Pegula, while the Czech player had runs to the Quarter Final in Nottingham, Semi Final in Bad Homburg and the Fourth Round at Wimbledon last year. Like many players that have been produced by Czechia, Linda Noskova has taken to the grass with real confidence and she has beaten Sorana Cirstea, Madison Keys and Elise Mertens in the last three Rounds.

Linda Noskova has also been serving well in this tournament and she has proven to be a consistent return player.

This is going to be a really tough match for Linda Noskova against a confident Marta Kostyuk that will have used that experience at the French Open to just help her settle ahead of this one.

Both players have served well enough to believe they can put the other under immense pressure, but the younger player has proved to be the superior grass court player beyond this tournament. Marta Kostyuk has played well enough to think she can win this one, but Linda Noskova looks a solid underdog to get behind in a Grand Slam that has been filled with upsets throughout the last two weeks and the World Number 12 may edge through this good looking Semi Final.

MY PICKS: Karolina Muchova-Coco Gauff Over 22.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

L:inda Noskova @ 2.20 William Hill (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 36-34, - 9.68 Units (138 Units Staked, - 7.01% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 10 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 8th July)

Day 10 of the 2026 Wimbledon Grand Slam tournament will complete the Semi Final lineup and it is quite a difficult one for the Tennis Picks.

Both selections come from the Men's Quarter Final matches to be played second on both show courts.

The two Ladies Quarter Finals are looking very tough to pick a winner and so will be left alone on Wednesday as the tournament continues at a pace.

Taylor Fritz-Alexander Zverev over 42.5 games: Two of the top six Seeds at the 2026 Wimbledon tournament will be facing one another in the Quarter Final and there is an added pressure of knowing that the winner is likely going to be a big favourite to reach the Final on Sunday. That can be very difficult for players to put aside, but there is no doubt that Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev will have a lot of respect for one another and that can keep them focused on the task at hand.

This is the sixteenth meeting on the pro Tour and it is Taylor Fritz who holds a significant edge with ten wins compared with Alexander Zverev's five, including the last seven in a row.

It is a run that began when Taylor Fritz came from 2-0 behind to beat Alexander Zverev in five sets at Wimbledon in 2024 and there have been two further grass court wins in that time. One of those grass court wins was earned as recently as last month when Taylor Fritz came from a set behind to beat Alexander Zverev in the Halle Semi Final and the layers are clearly finding it difficult to split the two players.

Alexander Zverev has to take confidence from the fact he has beaten Taylor Fritz at Wimbledon in 2018 and 2021, but both of those matches and the Fourth Round contest in 2024 have been very competitive and this one is expected to be the same.

The raw numbers in previous matches have underlined how competitive matches between these players have been and both Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev have to be playing with real confidence right now.

Taylor Fritz had two very strong runs on the grass courts last month, while Alexander Zverev will have grown after winning the French Open title to pick up a maiden Grand Slam. Both players have been serving really well in the tournament and this is likely to be the case when they head out onto the court on Wednesday, although Alexander Zverev will be frustrated that he had to complete his Fourth Round match on Tuesday and was pushed pretty hard in the one and a half sets that had to be played.

It is a potential issue, but Alexander Zverev has plenty of experience and cannot use that Fourth Round match being held over as an excuse for any defeat.

The match up has been a difficult one for him, but Alexander Zverev has been serving well enough to give himself a chance of snapping the run of defeats to Taylor Fritz. The American has also been finding a real rhythm on the serve and this looks like being the latest Wimbledon match that sees competitive sets being played when these two players head out onto the court.

The three previous Wimbledon matches have ended with 50, 45 and 55 games when Taylor Fritz and Alexander Zverev have faced one another.

Four Grand Slam matches have all ended with at least four sets shared out and that could be enough for this outing to end with the two combining to surpass this total games line.

MY PICKS: Taylor Fritz-Alexander Zverev Over 42.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Flavio Cobolli-Arthur Fery Over 37.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 36-32, - 5.68 Units (134 Units Staked, - 4.24% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 9 Picks 2026 (Tuesday 7th July)

The Quarter Final was almost fully set as expected, but the two long matches on Centre Court prevented the full day of play being completed and Jiri Lehecka and Alexander Zverev will have to conclude their Fourth Round match on Tuesday.

That is a bonus for those who have tickets for the Centre Court Quarter Finals on Day 9, but both show courts have some excellent tennis to choose from.

Matches look like they are going to be very competitive in what is expected to be very hot conditions in London, although an overcast day should help the players and the fans.

Felix Auger Aliassime-Novak Djokovic over 40.5 games: If this was a Quarter Final played at Wimbledon two years ago, Novak Djokovic would have been a much stronger favourite than is the case in 2026.

The records continue to tumble as Novak Djokovic continues to compete at a decent level, but there is little doubt that this is a player on the slide and winning one more Grand Slam title may end up being an elusive target. Winning at Wimbledon may offer the best route to do that, but Novak Djokovic is in the tougher half of the draw and he is likely going to have to beat two players Ranked higher than himself to earn a spot in the Final on Sunday.

First up is this Quarter Final against Felix Auger Aliassime who just battled through an epic five setter to progress past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and take his place in the last eight at another Grand Slam. The Canadian will be desperate to show what he can do at the highest level of the sport and there has been plenty to like about the way Auger Aliassime has gone about his business at Wimbledon this year.

The serve has been a huge weapon and Felix Auger Aliassime will need that to be firing to keep Novak Djokovic under pressure.

At his best, Djokovic was one of the greatest return players of all time, but he has struggled with his rhythm at this tournament and he has not won 40% or better of return points in any of the four wins produced. The Third Round win over Arthur Rinderknech will provide Felix Auger Aliassime with some kind of serving blueprint and the latter will certainly feel he has more about his serving than Rinderknech, which should mean having more joy.

Of course there will be plenty of respect for Novak Djokovic, but this is a player who does not have the same kind of movement as he did at his best and that should allow Felix Auger Aliassime to have success.

Novak Djokovic has gotten into the Quarter Final though and that is largely down to the way he has been serving and the match up against a return player like Felix Auger Aliassime should be one that the former World Number One is very comfortable. He will know the younger opponent has the power, but Djokovic has the experience and his serving will set up plenty of cheaper points to keep the scoreboard ticking.

These two players have not played one another in a competitive match since 2022, which will mean there is going to be some feeling out process.

The serving of both players will be important, and it feels like it would be a real surprise if either player is blown away in straight sets.

The underdog has every chance of earning the upset, but Novak Djokovic is always hard to dismiss and this looks like a Quarter Final that could need four, and possibly five sets to determine a winner, which is guiding the selection.

Jannik Sinner - 7.5 games v Jan-Lennard Struff: The defending Champion knows what it takes to win a title at Wimbledon, but Jannik Sinner also has plenty of successes at other Grand Slam events to build up his experience. He will not have been overly concerned about a slow start in this tournament, especially as the top Seed had not been seen since his upset defeat at the French Open, but there are real signs that Jannik Sinner is building up some momentum that could be very difficult to stop before Sunday evening.

The last two Rounds have been improved from the first two Rounds and Jannik Sinner will not be too concerned about facing an opponent he has beaten in all three previous matches on the Tour. One of those wins has been earned on the grass courts and Jannik Sinner is also vastly more experienced with these kind of big tournament matches.

Jan-Lennard Struff has forced his way into a maiden Grand Slam Quarter Final at 36 years old and this run has really come out of a surprising position when you consider warm up tournaments and performances in those.

Serving well has put pressure on his opponents, but Jan-Lennard Struff has also been on the right side of very fine margins and that is going to be difficult to replicate against someone like the World Number One.

In three of the four matches played at Wimbledon, Jan-Lennard Struff has split the first four sets and that will have been a situation where accumulated fatigue could be an issue.

The easiest win came against Daniil Medvedev in terms of it being a straight sets win, but the performance within that will give Jannik Sinner a huge amount of encouragement- Jan-Lennard Struff had been so far behind in each of the three sets played, but Medvedev crumbled in a situation that would be unexpected for the top Seed in the draw.

A bigger factor is the expected rise in heat in London- hot conditions have affected Jannik Sinner negatively in the past, including in Paris at the French Open earlier this year, and the underdog may be looking to keep him out on the court for as long as possible. The serve is one that can be frustrating for any player to deal with, but you have to believe that the inexperience at playing a match of this magnitude is going to be a factor against Struff.

The most likely outcome is that Jannik Sinner will be too good and he may be doubling down focus to avoid being dragged into a scrap in what is likely to be the hottest part of the day.

Jannik Sinner's own serve is one that should contain much of the threat on the other side of the court, while he will look back to the 18 Break Point chances created when facing Jan-Lennard Struff on the grass courts of Halle two years ago. The heat may aid Struff's serving, but Jannik Sinner is expected to have plenty of chances to get on top of him here and may ultimately wear down the lower Ranked player in a relatively comfortable victory.

Jessica Pegula-Coco Gauff over 22.5 games: The Ladies tournament has been decimated by upsets through the opening four Rounds of the 2026 Wimbledon, but there are still a couple of former Grand Slam Champions involved and they will be looking to use all of their experience to add this title to the collection.

One of those is Coco Gauff who made her first significant breakthrough on the Tour on these grounds back in 2019 when reaching the Fourth Round as a 15 year old.

Two Grand Slam titles have been won and Coco Gauff has reached the Semi Final at three of the Majors played, but it is a real surprise that the only event in which she had not played in a Quarter Final is right here at Wimbledon. That will change when she steps onto the court to face her compatriot on Tuesday, but Coco Gauff has been set as the underdog and that does not quite sit right.

Where Coco Gauff has shown she can win the biggest matches, Jessica Pegula has found her tennis stifled more often than not when the same opportunities have come up and at 32 years old, there will be a feeling that Pegula will not have a better chance to finally win a Grand Slam.

Jessica Pegula had lost the first six Quarter Final Grand Slam matches she played, although credit has to be given to the American for making it that far in every Grand Slam tournament. More recently things have begun to change and Pegula has won her last three Grand Slam Quarter Finals, but she has only made the single Final from all of those chances and finished Runner Up at the 2024 US Open.

Despite some of the performances in grass court tournaments ahead of Wimbledon, this has easily been the poorest of the Grand Slams for Jessica Pegula- she has reached the Quarter Final once before, but had only made the Third Round on one other occasion until the run to the last eight this year.

Both players have had to come through one tough match, which has to be respected, but Coco Gauff is the more battle-hardened.

Hot conditions will likely mean the extra tennis played could be a factor going against Gauff, but she will understand the match up considering the eight previous matches against one another.

Jessica Pegula is right to be favourite having won five of those matches, but also playing the superior tennis at this tournament, but pressure could ramp up the closer she gets to the winning line and that is where Coco Gauff can fight back. It feels like a match that will be won in either two very competitive sets or both players will be controlling a set apiece before a decider is needed.

With all that being said, this Quarter Final looks like one that will surpass the total games line that has been set.

Naomi Osaka-Karolina Muchova over 22.5 games: The Final at Bad Homburg last month ended prematurely when Naomi Osaka had to withdraw and allow Karolina Muchova to pick up the title, but they meet again at Wimbledon in a huge Quarter Final.

This is a tournament that feels wide open on the Ladies side of the event and the winner of this one is going to be full of belief that they can go all the way and pick up the title on Saturday afternoon.

Eight matches have been won between the players at Wimbledon and only a single set has been dropped- Naomi Osaka has the best win on the board as she crushed Aryna Sabalenka in the Fourth Round, but she had not been beyond the Third Round at this Grand Slam before, while Karolina Muchova is playing in the Quarter Final for the third time, but who had suffered four opening Round defeats in a row before her run to the last eight this season.

The raw numbers point to Naomi Osaka playing the superior tennis, but Karolina Muchova is playing at a consistently high level too and has been comfortable through the opening four Rounds.

It is very clear that the serve is going to be key for both players having been an important part of their tennis in the run to the Quarter Final and especially in the conditions expected in London. The higher temperatures are going to be a real challenge for the players to deal with, but Naomi Osaka and Karolina Muchova are scheduled to come out in the late afternoon and that may allow them to play their tennis with more authority as the heat begins to cool.

Regardless, it will be a hot day and both Osaka and Muchova are very well aware of what the other brings to the court.

They have faced off in big matches having played one another at the 2024 US Open, 2025 Australian Open and 2025 US Open and Naomi Osaka should take great encouragement from having won the last two of those matches. The most recent was in the US Open Quarter Final, but it was a very competitive match and another is expected when Karolina Muchova and Osaka meet again on Tuesday.

The layers have perhaps got it right by having Naomi Osaka down as a favourite, but Karolina Muchova is comfortable on the grass courts and can play her part in a Quarter Final that may end up needing a deciding set.

MY PICKS: Felix Auger Aliassime-Novak Djokovic Over 40.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner - 7.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula-Coco Gauff Over 22.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka-Karolina Muchova Over 22.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 33-31, - 8.76 Units (126 Units Staked, - 6.95% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 8 Picks 2026 (Monday 6th July)

The 2026 Wimbledon tournament will conclude Monday with the entire Quarter Final line up set.

The Ladies event is now wide open after Aryna Sabalenka exited the tournament and the remaining players in the draw all have a huge opportunity in front of them.

In the Mens event, the leading contenders continue to bully their way into the business end of the third Grand Slam of the season and there is still a hope that on these pages we can turn the Tennis Picks around with a strong conclusion to the event.

Taylor Fritz - 1.5 sets v Alexander Bublik: With the top two favourites in the Mens Tournament in the top half of the draw, the bottom half feels wide open and Taylor Fritz has shown enough over the last month to believe he could go one step further than last year.

In 2024 Taylor Fritz reached the Quarter Final here at Wimbledon and followed up with a Semi Final run twelve months ago, the second time the American has reached the final four of any Grand Slam. He was a Finalist at the US Open in 2024, but this has been a year when injuries have held Taylor Fritz back and a reason he is the World Number 7 having skipped the clay court season.

This may have worked for Taylor Fritz who reached the Final in two grass court tournaments before Wimbledon began and he has looked in solid form here in SW19 having reached the Fourth Round while dropping a single set. The confidence on a grass court cannot be ignored and Taylor Fritz will be very happy with the match up against Alexander Bublik in this Fourth Round contest.

Alexander Bublik has reached the Fourth Round here at Wimbledon before, and he does have a solid grass court career, but there has always been a feeling that the Third or Fourth Round of any Grand Slam might be the ceiling for him. He has talent, but Alexander Bublik can lose focus and can feel plenty of scoreboard pressure, although reaching the French Open Quarter Final last year felt like a potential breakthrough to take the next step in his career, even at then 28 years old.

That hasn't panned out quite as expected or hoped, while there had been little in the warm up matches that suggested Alexander Bublik would be ready to match his best performance at Wimbledon and perhaps even surpass it.

Over the last week, Alexander Bublik has twice needed five sets to get through in three matches played, while he spent over four hours on the court to finally down Frances Tiafoe late on Friday.

The match is likely going to be filled with plenty of Aces, but Taylor Fritz has won four of the last five matches between these players and that will give him confidence to come through the most pressurised moments.

Two of those wins have been on the grass courts and one of those was played last month in Stuttgart as Taylor Fritz won 41% of return points played and forced three breaks of serve in a straight sets victory. He may need to get through a slightly tighter contest in the Fourth Round here at Wimbledon, but Taylor Fritz will be pretty confident he can win this one in four sets to earn another Quarter Final appearance.

Grigor Dimitrov - 1.5 sets v Arthur Fery: Last year, Jannik Sinner won the Wimbledon Title, but the Italian would be the first to admit that he had one foot and four toes out of the tournament in the Fourth Round.

In July 2025, Jannik Sinner was two sets down and looking lost for ideas in the third set against Grigor Dimitrov before an awful injury forced the Bulgarian to withdraw from the match.

It is an injury that has cost Grigor Dimitrov several months of his career and that is highlighted by the fact that he entered Wimbledon as the World Number 146.

Matching the run from the 2025 Wimbledon tournament means Grigor Dimitrov has not really made a big impact in his overall Ranking, but there is no doubt that the player and his team feel like he is changing the narrative around this event from a personal level. Instead of being the tournament where an injury could have almost ended the career, Grigor Dimitrov has rediscovered some of his very best tennis and he will believe he is a threat to reach a maiden Grand Slam Final.

Grigor Dimitrov needed five sets to get the better of Matteo Berrettini in the Third Round, but he only spent a little over three and a half hours on the court and the opening two matches were won while dropping a single set. His confidence is growing on his return to the grass on the main courts here at Wimbledon and Dimitrov is beloved by the fans.

However, that may not be completely the case on Monday when the Bulgarian takes on the last British player left in the Singles draw and Arthur Fery has made a run that has come out of left field, which is going to really boost the fans behind him.

At 23 years old, Arthur Fery was given an opportunity with Wild Cards into a couple of warm up events and he made use of those by reaching the Quarter Final at Queen's Club and then winning one match in Eastbourne. A Semi Final run at a Challenger event earlier in the summer gave Arthur Fery some real confidence and belief, and that has been used to help him overcome opponents, and nosebleeds, on the way through to the Fourth Round.

He is another player that needed five sets to get through the Third Round, but Arthur Fery has settled onto the courts here having previously had a 1-3 record in the main draw at Wimbledon before the 2026 tournament began.

Arthur Fery has nothing to lose, but he is heading onto Centre Court and that is another challenge for an inexperienced player.

Serving well is key, but Grigor Dimitrov has also been serving very well and his added experience is expected to be a factor in favour of the the veteran.

It should be a really vibrant atmosphere on Centre Court on Monday and it should be a fun match to watch, but Grigor Dimitrov is expected to come through in three or four sets as Arthur Fery enjoys his moment in the limelight and with a real chance to build going forward.

Alexandra Eala - 2.5 games v Jasmine Paolini: After upsetting the defending Champion in the previous Round, the challenge for Alexandra Eala is backing it up and she does have every chance of doing that in this Fourth Round contest.

However, the challenge for any player earning an upset is making sure they remain focused on the court and not become too distracted by those off the court.

Alexandra Eala would have had to speak to more media than usual after beating Iga Swiatek, while she will also be walking around the grounds with a lot more attention from the fans. This can be really tough for players who are not used to having that attention, but Alexandra Eala has been popular since breaking onto the Tour and that will help.

She will also be helped by the fact that she has beaten Jasmine Paolini in the only previous meeting on the Tour, but the Italian has to be respected.

She is a former Wimbledon Finalist from just two years ago, but Jasmine Paolini has had a difficult twelve months and that is perhaps why she is set as the underdog. The last two runs during the grass court season have been disappointing and Jasmine Paolini had lost her only match on the grass in 2026 before Wimbledon began.

After dropping the opening set of the tournament without winning a game, Jasmine Paolini has won six sets in a row and that has given her momentum and confidence that could be difficult for Alexandra Eala to contain.

However, Alexandra Eala has only dropped a single set in three wins and she has won a Challenger title on the grass, while also reaching the Berlin Semi Final to underline her comfort on the surface. There is still room for improvement if the World Number 32 is going to earn the win, but Alexandra Eala will take some confidence from the win over Jasmine Paolini in Dubai and she may do enough to edge past the Italian and the handicap mark set.

MY PICKS: Taylor Fritz - 1.5 Sets @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

Grigor Dimitrov - 1.5 Sets @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

Alexandra Eala - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Ashlyn Krueger + 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Madison Keys - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 32-27, - 2.46 Units (116 Units Staked, - 2.12% Yield)

Wimbledon Tennis Day 7 Picks 2026 (Sunday 5th July)

Day 6 proved to be a day of upsets in the Ladies Tournament at Wimbledon as the top two Seeds in the bottom half of the draw were both eliminated, including defending Champion Iga Swiatek.

A surprising Finalist at another Grand Slam looks set to emerge, but Day 7 is the beginning of the second week and there is plenty more tennis to be played.

The top half of the Ladies Tournament looks highly competitive and the different combinations for the Quarter Final matches on Day 9 all look potentially very attractive.

It is a tough day to make Picks from the four matches to be played in the Ladies Fourth Round and it would not be a surprise if two favourites and two underdogs are able to fight through.

We do have two big favourites in the Mens Tournament with Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic remaining on collision course, but there are others still performing at Wimbledon who will believe they can find a way to earn the title. The Day 7 Fourth Round matches should be fun to watch and the fans in attendance on what was formerly Middle Sunday should be in for a treat.

Jannik Sinner - 9.5 games v Shintaro Mochizuki: He has already made history at Wimbledon before when Shintaro Mochizuki became the first Japanese player to win a Boys Single Title and so there is some comfort on the grass court. However, the move onto the main Tour has been hugely challenging for the 23 year old who is the World Number 151, but Grand Slam events have a tendency to throw up those storylines that will capture the imagination of Tennis fans.

This is one of those stories- despite winning that Boys Title here in 2019, Shintaro Mochizuki has struggled to impose himself on the main Tour, even on the grass. Strong runs at Challenger events suggested Mochizuki had found his level, while prior to the Wimbledon Qualifiers beginning, Shintaro Mochizuki had been beaten in matches by players Ranked Number 103, 196 and 806.

Three Qualifying wins earned Shintaro Mochizuki the right to take part in the main draw at Wimbledon for the second year in a row, but those wins were against players Ranked closer to 200 than the top 100, while he needed five sets to earn the way past the final opponent.

Shintaro Mochizuki was given a kind First Round draw, but he has grown in his time on the court and the wins over Ethan Quinn and Rafael Jodar are much more respectable. Naomi Osaka has been watching on from the player's box and Mochizuki is playing with a freedom that could make him dangerous.

The layers certainly do not feel that is the case with this line set for this Fourth Round match as Shintaro Mochizuki prepares to take on the World Number 1, and defending Champion, Jannik Sinner.

It has not been the most convincing tournament as far as Jannik Sinner has been concerned, but he will be pleased to have gotten through the first week without too many more dramas after needing five sets to win the opening match. Back to back straight sets wins will have eased the concerns around the World Number 1, while the numbers have improved Round to Round and that suggests this is a player peaking towards next weekend.

He will be massively encouraged by the serving numbers that Shintaro Mochizuki put on the board in the win over Rafael Jodar and that was against an opponent who is not nearly as accomplished on the grass as Jannik Sinner.

Covering will be a test, but this feels like a match that Jannik Sinner could control more and more the longer the players are out there and it could end up being reflected on the final scoreboard. After a competitive opening, Jannik Sinner could roll through the gears and keep his opponent under pressure on the return and it may end up leading to a 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 kind of victory and so backing the World Number 1 to cover this big line is the play.

Hubert Hurkacz-Jan-Lennard Struff over 40.5 games: Since reaching the Wimbledon Semi Final in 2021, Hubert Hurkacz had failed to make the Third Round twice in three visits and reached the Fourth Round once.

He is back in that spot on Day 7 of the 2026 tournament and Hubert Hurkacz has a big opportunity to get back into the last eight of this Grand Slam and reverse what has been a worrying trend regarding the slipping of the World Ranking over the last couple of years. Some of that has been down to injury, but Hubert Hurkacz has struggled to get back to the kind of level that had taken him into the top six of the World Rankings just two years ago.

A 14-15 overall record over the last twelve months ahead of this Grand Slam meant there was little expectation on Hubert Hurkacz, but he has made short work of the competition. Beating Casper Ruud in four sets is not the upset the Seeding would suggest, not on a grass court, but Hurkacz has a straight sets win over Sebastian Ofner and most impressive is the four set win over Tommy Paul to reach the second week.

Standing across the net is Jan-Lennard Struff, who looked to be coming to the back end of his career, and who at 36 years old will not have a better chance to get back into a main event spot.

Jan-Lennard Struff has been playing main draw Grand Slam events since 2013, but he has yet to reach the Quarter Final of any of those and this will be just the fifth time that the German has reached the second week of any Slam.

His run here at Wimbledon means this Slam has joined the French Open as the one that Jan-Lennard Struff has had the most success and he has battled and clawed throughout the first week. The upset over Daniil Medvedev in the Third Round caught the attention, although the straight sets win does not tell the tale of the story as Jan-Lennard Struff recovered from breaks of serve in each of the sets played.

Serving well is going to be huge for both players and the edge here is with Hubert Hurkacz who should be fresher and able to deliver the big serves more often and for longer than Jan-Lennard Struff. However, the latter can push through to tie-breakers and there is every chance that this is going to be a match that needs at least four sets with both players sensing the opportunity, which means also dealing with the pressure that comes with a sense of expectation.

Previous matches between the players have tended to be very competitive and that looks like being the case on Sunday in this Fourth Round contest.

Felix Auger Aliassime-Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Pick: There are a couple of Boys Champions out on the courts at the start of the second week at the 2026 Wimbledon and both are looking to make a big statement in the main draw.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina has been in really good form in the warm up events, but this is a player who has regularly come up short at big moments in Grand Slam tournaments. He has won seven matches in a row on the grass and the Spaniard has yet to drop a set at Wimbledon, which will have given Alejandro Davidovich Fokina a huge boost in confidence as he looks to push through to just his second Quarter Final at Grand Slam level.

Next up is the toughest test Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will have faced at Wimbledon when taking on Felix Auger Aliassime who is the World Number 4 and someone who is looking to remind himself that he is capable of having a big impact at a Grand Slam.

After losing at the French Open in the Quarter Final, Felix Auger Aliassime was very critical of his own level and wondered aloud whether he was getting the best out of himself.

With that in mind, credit has to be given to the Canadian for digging in and putting in another strong Grand Slam showing, while Felix Auger Aliassime reached the Quarter Final in Halle before winning all three matches here in straight sets. The serve is working well, but Felix Auger Aliassime has found a confidence in his return and that makes him a really dangerous player on this surface, even if he is behind the likes of Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic in any favourite list.

Felix Auger Aliassime had won the first four pro matches between these players, but the most recent was played at the Australian Open in 2025 and it was Alejandro Davidovich Fokina who came from 2-0 behind to win in five. One other Grand Slam meeting also took place at Melbourne Park, but that time it was Auger Aliassime who came through in four incredibly competitive sets.

Both players have shown the kind of form that it would be a real disappointment for themselves, and the team, if this match is not competitive enough to see both players win a set. With the kind of serving that can be displayed, there is every chance that four sets could be all that is needed for the players to surpass this total games line, but there is a feeling that both Felix Auger Aliassime and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina are playing with the kind of confidence and belief that forces a fifth set to be required to produce a 2026 Wimbledon Quarter Finalist.

Novak Djokovic - 5.5 games v Roman Safiullon: In January 2024, then 26 year old Roman Safiullon entered the top 40 of the World Rankings and looked like he had finally worked out how best to deal with the strain of the ATP Tour.

Later that year Roman Safiullon was beaten twice by Novak Djokovic and that served as a reminder of how far the former still had to go if he was going to take the next step in his career.

Several months before reaching his career best World Ranking mark, Roman Safiullon had reached the Quarter Final at Wimbledon, but that is by far and away his best Grand Slam run and it has been a struggle since then at this level. In fact this is only the second time he has reached the second week of any Grand Slam, while Roman Safiullon entered this tournament outside of the top 100 of the World Rankings as injuries took their toll on his career.

The World Number 132 admitted that he thought about packing in the career as those injuries failed to dissipate, but Roman Safiullon worked his way through three Qualifying Rounds before winning three matches in the main draw that includes upsetting Seeds Andrey Rublev and Joao Fonseca.

Those will have given him confidence, but it was notable that Roman Safiullon admitted that Novak Djokovic had given him many problems in previous matches when talking about a potential opponent.

Thanks to a four set win, Novak Djokovic is the official Fourth Round opponent and this is a player that is now leaning on his experience much more than he ever did. Novak Djokovic is not operating at the level he once did, but aura is one of the last things to fade and this is a player who is very comfortable on the grass courts and much more than the majority of players on the Tour.

Of course he will respect the results Roman Safiullon has had here in the past, and the fact that the grass is not a surface that intimidates the lower Ranked player.

However, Novak Djokovic has enjoyed this match up previously and he may feel he can make more of an impact on the return than he did in the Third Round, which is going to be important to make the former seven time Champion just feel he can get his rhythm into the match.

In the previous Quarter Final appearance here in 2023, Roman Safiullon did take a set from Jannik Sinner before going down to a four set loss, and something similar in this Fourth Round match could allow Novak Djokovic to eventually pull clear of this handicap mark set. 

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 9.5 Games @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Hubert Hurkacz-Jan-Lennard Struff Over 40.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Felix Auger Aliassime-Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Over 41.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Novak Djokovic - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Wimbledon Update: 30-25, - 1.94 Units (108 Units Staked, - 1.79% Yield)

2026 World Cup- Last 16 Knock Out Round (Saturday 4th July-Tuesday 7th July)

This is the time of any World Cup tournament when things move forward at a real pace and the Last 16 has pitted together some of the very best nations on the international stage.

With the Knock Out Bracket laid out, it does feel like France have benefited from some of the early upsets in the tournament, although they have yet to be really tested.

Spain versus Portugal looks to be the tie of the Last 16 Round, while all eyes in England are on the trip to the Azteca Stadium on Sunday night, which had been something they will have anticipated soon after the draw for the 2026 World Cup had been made.

It has been a solid tournament so far for the selections, but the challenges become tougher with teams much more evenly matched moved into the Last 16 and beyond.

Ties have been scheduled for four days beginning on Saturday, American Independence Day, and concluding with what looks to be an interesting fixture between Switzerland and Colombia on Tuesday.

This will lead to the first break of the tournament with Wednesday set for no action, but then the Quarter Final matches begin and those still involved will really be dreaming of picking up the World Cup on Sunday 19th July.

World Cup Last 16 Picks

Saturday 4th July

Canada vs Morocco Pick: At this stage of the World Cup, Canada are going to be feeling like they are playing with 'house money' having matched the ambitions that would have been set out before a ball had been kicked.

They made it out of the Group Stage and scored very late on to beat South Africa in the Last 32 and this should allow Canada to play with some freedom.

Unfortunately for them, they are also stepping up the level considerably when facing Morocco in the Last 16, although the latter did have to go through Extra Time and Penalties to see off the Netherlands in the last Round. In the hot and humid conditions of the United States, that could be a problem for Morocco, especially as that last Round fixture was played in Mexico where the intense conditions are not being managed by playing under a roof.

Morocco also played over twenty-four hours later than Canada, but they have all of the qualities needed to win this match and they are also a much more experienced squad.

The only criticism you could have of Morocco is that they do not score a lot of goals- they have begun games quite well and scored early against Brazil and Scotland, but Morocco have also shown they can maintain their belief very late on against Haiti and Netherlands. This is also a team that has defended pretty well and it is going to be very tough for Canada, although odds on quotes for a Morocco win look a touch on the short side.

However, four years ago, Morocco scored two early goals on their way to a win over Canada at the 2022 World Cup Finals and they have been the superior team in the competition. There has been a lot of determination shown by Canada and they will cause problems, which could see them manage at least nine shots against a Morocco team that can sometimes sit back and look to soak up the pressure.

A direct Canada approach can see the team in a position to try and test out their shooting boots and Canada have had at least twelve shots in every game at this tournament.

Paraguay vs France Pick: After beating one European giant in the Knock Out Rounds, Paraguay take aim at one of the favourites to win the World Cup and it would be a much bigger upset if they can take down France compared to beating Germany.

They rode their luck in that win over Germany- Paraguay almost blew the Penalty Shoot Out when in a commanding position, while an extremely controversial VAR intervention prevented Germany from taking the lead in Extra Time as the Paraguayans looked shattered.

It has been a few days of recovery for Paraguay, but this really doe feel like the end of the line.

France have been looking incredible in the final third and that threat has meant teams have been a little wary to get forward and test this vulnerable defence. That will change the longer we go into this World Cup tournament, but Paraguay may not have the energy nor the quality to really take the risks needed.

Instead they will likely set up deep and hope to frustrate the French, although that looks like it will be too great a challenge for them. The United States win over Paraguay was in the opening match of the tournament, but performances since have suggested this is a team that may have reached its ceiling in the 2026 World Cup and France should be a relatively comfortable winners when all is said and done.

Sunday 5th July

Brazil vs Norway Pick: It will be mentioned a few times in any broadcast that you may be tuning into, but Brazil have never beaten Norway and you have to wonder if that will have an impact on the way this Last 16 tie at the 2026 World Cup is played out.

There was a time when Norway would have been considered a dark horse for a major international tournament, but they have flattered to deceive and this squad is perhaps flying under the radar.

That should give them some freedom to perform, but Norway have been relying on out-scoring opponents and that has worked against the teams other than France. Wins over Iraq, Senegal and Ivory Coast have come in fixtures where Norway have scored at least twice, but a much changed team were thumped by France 4-1 in the Group Stage.

Norway will cause problems going forward- they are certainly stronger in the final third than the defensive third and this Brazil team has issues in midfield and full back areas that can be exploited. They did earn back to back clean sheets in the Group Stage against Scotland and Haiti, but Morocco were hurting Brazil and Japan really put them under early pressure before being worn down.

Carlo Ancelotti's experience makes Brazil dangerous and he has got his tactical advice and subs right at key times.

There is no doubt that Brazil have threats in the final third that will be looking forward to facing a Norway team that have conceded twice against Senegal and once each against Iraq and Ivory Coast. The latter gave as good as they got in the Last 32, but Brazil are stronger in the final third with the likes of Vini Jr and Matheus Cunha in good form.

Raphinha is back in training and could provide a boost off the bench if he is needed and the edge here is with Brazil to come through a high-scoring Last 16 tie and finally get the Norway issue off the back.

Mexico vs England Pick: The hope for those watching back home is that England are not going to be talking themselves into a mental issue about the altitude with the entire build up to this Last 16 tie focused on the conditions expected in Mexico City.

It is an away game in a World Cup and the home crowd are going to be passionate and loud, but England should feel they have the greater quality in the starting eleven and the stronger depth off the bench. This should make the difference as they bid to stop Mexico reaching the World Cup Quarter Final and matching runs in tournaments hosted in 1970 and 1986, although there has to be respect for the team in green.

Mexico have played well in the tournament, but the schedule has not been the most taxing.

They were better than South Africa, Czechia and Ecuador, but the margins were not that great, while South Korea will feel they were one goalkeeping mistake away from earning a positive result. The raw numbers suggest Mexico have made the most of their chances, but they have also been pretty effective defensively, although this England attacking unit is by far and away the best they will have faced in the tournament and perhaps for several months.

England have not been at their best so far in the tournament, but that is not a negative thing if they continue to create the better chances than their opponents and contain most of the threats. Defensive lapses of concentration have been punished, but England have bounced back to show the teeth in the final third and that can be the case in this Last 16 tie.

The key here will be to settle into the game and conditions- don't concede before the first hydration break and England can work into the fixture... If they do concede, Mexico will rely on their organisation to frustrate and work the counter attacks and so it feels the fixture can be decided that early.

There is no doubt England have the better personnel, but the challenges to overcome are all mental- this is a good 'prove it' ground for Thomas Tuchel and his team and the feeling is that they can win this one and really boost confidence in going all the way at this tournament.

It may need Extra Time before the depth of England really shines through though and backing the European nation to qualify for the Quarter Finals is the play.

Monday 6th July

Portugal vs Spain Pick: Games between these two neighbours have tended to be very competitive in recent years and that includes the 2-2 draw in the Nations League Final that was eventually won on Penalties by Portugal.

They have not looked their best at this tournament, but the familiarity with an opponent like Spain will give Portugal plenty of belief.

There is a real sense of pressure on both sets of players with this tie set for the Last 16- an exit here would be seen as a big disappointment back home and that will be something at the back of the mind of those on the pitch.

It can build a pressure and Spain will know they are likely to be tested in this fixture more than any other played at the tournament.

Luis de la Fuente's team have looked pretty good going forward, but they will be hoping Nico Williams can have a healthy conclusion to the tournament to give his team a bit more balance. Others have stepped up, but Williams can be an 'x factor' on the other side of the pitch to Lamine Yamal and makes Spain that much tougher to defend.

They will feel they were the better team when these two met in the Nations League Final last year and Spain can create the superior chances, even if Portugal have a lot of talent in the forward areas. The latter have perhaps been more clinical than Spain when chances have come up, but it still feels like the superior balance in the starting eleven is with the defending European Champions and Spain can eventually Qualify for the Quarter Final.

Backing them to do that in a match where they have at least four shots on target brings up a decent price and Spain can do just enough to get the better of their Iberian neighbours.

United States vs Belgium Pick: There is already a huge amount of controversy attached to this Last 16 tie when FIFA announced that Folarin Balogun would not have to serve a suspension after being sent off in the Last 32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. He scored for the United States, but it has been made clear that President Trump asked for Balogun to be available for selection and Gianni Infantino has rolled out the red carpet.

This is a story that is going to run and run and everyone involved is being rightly criticised having changed rules on the fly to seemingly ensure Infantino's connections are not going to be upset.

You have to feel for Belgium, who described hearing the news as wondering if it was an April Fool's Day joke, but this is an experienced group of players that battled back to beat Senegal when the game looked lost. They have to lean on that performance, while the backs against the wall motivation is going to be clear to see.

It feels inevitable that Balogun will score, but the United States have yet to be tested at this World Cup and that is not going to be the case at the end of this Last 16 tie.

Belgium will believe they can create chances against this defence and that can make up for some of the lax defending that has been produced.

Whether it is enough to progress is to be seen, but United States and Belgium could be involved in a high-scoring tie as the last of the co-hosts fight to progress.

Tuesday 7th July

Argentina vs Egypt Pick: After barely scraping past Cape Verde, the critics have been sharpening the knives about this Argentina team and wondering how far they can go into the defence of the World Cup won in Qatar in 2022.

It was a really tough Last 32 tie for Argentina who could not get themselves out of second gear for much of the contest, although rallying in Extra Time will give the team some belief.

They face another African Qualifier in the Last 16 and Argentina will be aware that Egypt are going to cause a fair few problems for them.

Egypt were not at their best in the Penalty Shoot Out win over Australia, but they do have players capable of getting forward with real quality and that should pose a problem for the World Champions. They have players like Mo Salah and Omar Marmoush who will be expecting to find some spaces and it could see Egypt produce at least eight shots in this match.

However, it would be a big surprise if they are capable of upsetting one of the favourites on the form shown in this tournament.

Argentina have yet to hit a peak performance, but will be encouraged by the amount of goals they continue to score and they can win a match where Egypt offer threat throughout.

Switzerland vs Colombia Pick: This looks to be a fascinating final tie in the Last 16 Round and it certainly feels like a match that could easily go the entire way to a Penalty Shoot Out.

There is going to be very little between Switzerland and Colombia, and both will appreciate that the other represents a really awkward test to earn a spot in the Quarter Final.

Colombia did outplay Portugal in the Group Stage, but they have been a team that have just struggled to put a composed final touch to the football being produced.

Scoring goals has been less of a concern for Switzerland, but they have not been as convincing defensively until the 2-0 win over Algeria in the Last 32 and that is perhaps why they have been set as the underdog in this one.

The first goal could end up being crucial with Colombia showing plenty of grit at the back with three clean sheets in a row and a single goal conceded in the 2026 World Cup.

An early goal could change the rhythm and tempo of this fixture, but the expectation is that neither is going to want to give anything away and that could lead to a fixture in which at least one of the teams fail to score.

MY PICKS: Canada Team Over 8.5 Shots @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

France Win to Nil @ 1.77 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Brazil to Win & Over 1 Total Goal @ 2.05 Bet365 (1 Unit)

England to Qualify @ 1.72 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Spain to Qualify & Over 3.5 Shots on Target @ 1.70 Bet365 (1 Unit)

United States-Belgium Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.70 William Hill (1 Unit)

Argentina to Win & Egypt Over 7.5 Shots @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Switzerland-Colombia Both Teams to Score- NO @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Last 16: 6-2, + 2.52 Units (8 Units Staked, + 31.5o% Yield)

Last 32: 10-6, + 4.38 Units (16 Units Staked, + 27.38% Yield)

Group Stage MD 3: 11-11-1, - 1.29 Units (23 Units Staked, - 5.61% Yield)

Group Stage MD 2: 16-8, + 7.44 Units (24 Units Staked, + 31% Yield)

Group Stage MD 1: 12-12, - 0.30 Units (24 Units Staked, - 1.25% Yield)