UMVA has learned that the World Cup is finally here, and while its monstrous ticket prices have dominated much of the build-up, the actual football is finally set to take over.
The big question on everyone's mind is: which teams are likely to make a deep run in the tournament? Online betting sites have had their favourites priced up for months, and it's the usual suspects who find themselves at the top of the odds lists.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the latest World Cup betting makes Spain the 9/2 outright frontrunner, with France just behind at 5/1, and England at 7/1, third favourites.
Spain, famously, stormed to a record-breaking fourth European championship crown two years ago, and now their talented young squad attempts to take their talents from the continental stage to the global one.
Lamine Yamal, just 16 years of age during that tournament, has matured into arguably the best player on the planet, and flanked by his loyal Barcelona cohorts, such as Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Pau Cubarsí, he is now tasked with bringing the famous gold trophy back to Spain for the second time.
Spain's route to the final looks relatively straightforward, with a favourable group stage draw against debutants Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay.
The bookies make Spain a whopping 1/5 favourite to top Group H, and if they don’t, it would be a monumental shock.
Assuming they top their group, La Roja would likely face either Austria or Algeria in the Round of 16, and then possibly Croatia or Colombia in the quarterfinals.
France, on the other hand, have reached each of the last two World Cup finals, and this summer, they aim to reach a record-equalling third straight, but they'll have to do so without two key players: Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud.
Even without those two, Les Bleus still have quality right across the pitch, but it’s in attack that they’re truly deadly, with Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, and Desire Doue making up arguably the most fearsome attacking quartet at the entire tournament.
France's route to the final looks much tougher, with a difficult group stage draw against Norway and Senegal, and a potential Round of 16 clash against Germany.
England, meanwhile, are looking to bring home a World Cup for the first time since 1966, and with the blistering form of Harry Kane, who has positioned himself as the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or, they could well roar.
The Three Lions must navigate perennial banana skin Croatia in their opening game, before then facing Ghana and Panama in Group L, and a likely quarterfinal clash against Brazil.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that England's semi-final opponents will likely be either Argentina or Portugal, with those two set to square off in the quarterfinals and the winner facing England in the semis.
