2026 World Cup: Expert Picks and Predictions for USA vs. Turkiye, Germany vs. Ecuador

Every team in the 2026 World Cup has now moved onto their final match in the group stage, including USA concluding group play on Thursday with USA vs. Turkiye at 10 p.m. ET. The Americans have already secured the top spot in Group D regardless of Thursday's result, which could lead to some rest for some key players. USA vs. Turkiye is one of six games in action in the World Cup 2026, which includes Germany vs. Ecuador (4 p.m. ET), Netherlands vs. Tunisia (7 p.m. ET) and Japan vs. Sweden (7 p.m. ET), providing plenty of 2026 World Cup betting options.

USA are -115 favorites (risk $115 to win $100), according to the latest 2026 World Cup odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. Turkiye are +270 underdogs, and a draw is priced at +310 odds. SportsLine soccer expert Jon Eimer is backing Turkiye on the double chance (to either win or tie) at -115 odds, given the U.S. doesn't gain anything by the result of this match. "USA has already won the group and the outcome of this match won't change anything about their placement in the group," Eimer said. "That means that the USA manager should not play any of the USA's starters and risk any unnecessary injury."

For Japan vs. Sweden, SportsLine soccer expert Brandt Sutton is backing Over 2.5 total goals. Each of Sweden's World Cup matches totaled six goals, while each of Japan's matches has featured four goals. SportsLine expert Matt Severance has also locked in a pick of Germany vs. Sweden. Before locking in your 2026 World Cup picks and other World Cup bets on betting sites like FanDuel, be sure to check out top picks from the team of experts at SportsLine.

Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, he has covered the English Premier League, Champions League, Serie A, the FA Cup, and much more. He's been red-hot on his  soccer betting  picks in 2026, posting a 31-13-2 record and returning over $1,200 of profit on his Champions League picks. Anyone wanting to follow his  World Cup betting  advice at  sportsbooks  and on  betting apps  could see big returns.

Top World Cup picks for Thursday

- Ecuador (+1.5) vs. Germany (-180) - Japan vs. Sweden: Over 2.5 total goals (-115) - Double Chance: Turkiye to win or draw vs. USA (-115)

Ecuador (+1.5) vs. Germany (-180)

"Why would Germany give a hoot (das boot?) here? They have won Group E, so there is simply no reason to play any key guys, especially those holding a yellow card," SportsLine expert Matt Severance said. "Ecuador is playing for their life to advance (must get at least a point, might need three) and have been rather unlucky to not have scored yet despite averaging eight shots on target in each of the first two matches. In the last one, Curacao keeper Eloy Room stood on his head in a scoreless draw. That stellar Ecuador defense, meanwhile, hasn't been the issue."

Japan vs. Sweden: Over 2.5 total goals (-115)

"Sweden have had a Jekyll and Hyde showing thus far at the World Cup, beating Tunisia 5-1, before losing 5-1 to the Netherlands," SportsLine soccer expert Brandt Sutton said. "Despite the lopsided scoreline against the Dutch, Sweden still created plenty of scoring opportunities, finishing with 10 shots on goal. Japan have also been involved in high-scoring affairs in this competition, a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands and a 4-0 win over Tunisia. I expect we'll see another entertaining affair when these two nations collide in Dallas."

Double Chance: Turkiye to win or draw vs. USA (-115)

"While the USA doesn't need to try, technically, Turkiye doesn't need to either," SportsLine soccer expert Jon Eimer said. "Turkiye is already out of the group. They lost both their opening games and now they are solely playing for national pride at this point. It's hard to predict exactly who Turkiye will start in this match, but we do know this is an extremely proud country who will want to end on a positive note, if only to give their fans something to root for. As a betting man, I would venture to guess that the USA will rotate and Turkiye will play their best roster."

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/2026-world-cup-picks-odds-predictions-best-bets-usa-turkiye-germany-ecuador-thursday/)._