Free FIFA World Cup Picks Today for Monday, November 21st, 2022

Millions around the world will be glued to their TV screens when the action heats up at the World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is regarded as the most popular event in the world, and only takes place every four years. Yesterday we saw the opening game between Qatar and Ecuador, with Ecuador coming out victorious, 2-0.

There is so much action to be had over the Group Stage, as 32 teams fight for the chance to make it to the Round of 16. There are eight groups in total with four teams in each group, and only the top two will make it through to the next round. Which teams will put their best foot forward and make it through to the next round?

Look below to find our free soccer picks for all the games on today’s FIFA World Cup schedule!

England vs Iran – 8AM ET

England kicks off their World Cup campaign on Monday morning when they face off against Iran. Currently, England has some of the lowest odds to win the World Cup, sitting at +850, while Iran’s odds for winning the whole tournament sit at +50000. The two other teams in Group B include USA and Wales.

Tony Battalio

Well…is this year finally the year? Is the crown finally going to come home for England? We will find out soon enough as this heavyweight squares off with Iran to open up their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign. England has come so close so many times and they just cannot seem to get the job done. After failing to win the most recent Euros at home, they were also relegated to the second league in the UEFA Nations League earlier this year. Southgate’s job is on the line and his seat is hotter than ever before heading into the World Cup. 

Iran comes into this opening game looking to shock the world and gain an edge in Group B. This would be seen as a massive win for this small Middle Eastern nation and perhaps one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history as well. They will likely be playing in a low block in this one, as they know their strikers don’t possess the same talent as this English side so don’t expect a ton of goals in this game. In the end I’m going with the under for total goals.  

Aleksandar Ricliev

England comes to Qatar as one of the favorites to win the tournament. Their international form hasn’t been great since they finished as runners-up in the European Championship a year ago. However, their talent is unquestionable, and their team is full of experienced stars such as Harry Kane, John Stones, and Harry Maguire. Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka are three of the most desired prospects in the world. England is a scary team, and if everything goes well – they can compete with the best and beat anyone. England comes to the World Cup with questions about their defense. Kyle Walker is recovering from injury, and Harry Maguire has played only a game this season.

Iran is a proud soccer nation. They have a long history and tradition in the World Cup. Iran is a tough, resilient group who won’t bow down to anyone. With England’s injury-plagued defense, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Iran score a goal first, and then England pushes the tempo up and wins the game. On paper, this should be an easy win for England, but I expect a much tougher game than that. Sure, you can bet on England to win the game, but I would rather take the 2.5 goals – over. 

Marko Nadin

After two heartbreaking losses in the last two major competitions, England is going to Qatar with high hopes that they will finally bring the trophy home. They are starting the competition against the easiest opponent in the group stage, Iran. England is the major favorite in this game but the stats says that they have not won any of the last six games. The back-to-back losses to Hungary (4-0) and Italy (1-0) have raised many questions regarding the form of Gareth Southgate’s squad. 

However, England will use the World Cup opener to boost their confidence with a comfortable win against Iran. Iran has won 6 of their last 10 games but failed to do so in the last friendly game going into the World Cup as they lost 2-0 against Tunisia. Only once in the last nine games of Iran, there have been more than 2 goals and they will try to use their defensive approach to survive in this game. Despite that, England will attack from the kick-off and get on the scoreboard in the first half which will open the way to a routine win in a game that will not go over 3.5 goals.

Senegal vs Netherlands – 11AM ET

The final two teams from Group A begin their campaign on Monday morning when Senegal and the Netherlands go toe-to-toe. Senegal are middle of the range when it comes to their odds to win the World Cup, currently sitting at +8000, while the Netherlands are close to the top, with odds of +1200. Qatar and Ecuador are also in Group A, and they played yesterday.

Tony Battalio

This should be one of the better games of the second day of the World Cup as Senegal takes on the Netherlands. Both of these teams are potential dark horses to make a run and find themselves in the semifinals or finals by the time the end of the tournament comes around. Senegal is currently the 18th ranked team in the world coming into this year’s contest. 

The Netherlands are finally back in the World Cup and they are making one last run as a possible title. They are currently ranked 8th in the FIFA world rankings. They have a solid team that is very capable of getting the win in this game and I think that is exactly what is going to happen. 

Aleksandar Ricliev

Senegal comes to this World Cup with confusing emotions. This January, only several months ago, they won the African Championship, proving to be the best team in Africa. However, only a week before the beginning of the World Cup, they lost their captain and best player of the team Sadio Mane. Senegal is a tough, athletic, strong side that can outrun and outfight every team in the world. The loss of their leader will have a tremendous impact on the team, but these are proud people, and I am sure they will show up in this tournament and give all they got.

The Netherlands is the birth country of modern soccer. This team is the perfect combination of players who provide experience and stability, but also, flair and ability. Liverpool’s superstar – Virgil Van Dijk, will command the defense, Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong will conduct the game in the midfield, while Gakpo and Depay are there to create and score goals. The match against Senegal will be far from an easy game. You can also take the under 2.5 goals bet as well, but I expect the Dutch to come out with a close win, and that is the more reliable bet in my eyes.

Marko Nadin

Senegal has warmed the hearts of their supporters by winning the African Cup of Nations last year and came to Qatar with high hopes. Unfortunately, their leader and best player Sadio Mane is out of the competitions as he didn’t manage to recover from injury. That is a huge blow for Senegal who are simply not the same team without Mane. That decreases their chances in this game by far and they will try to stay undefeated by defending. Senegal has 4 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses in the last 10 games. 

Netherlands is going into the World Cup as one of the dark horse candidates to go deep into the competition. Louis van Gaal has taken over the young squad and he seems like the man who can get the most out of the team. Netherlands has not lost in the last 15 games and they have 11 wins in that span. Netherlands’ game is based on a lot of running and they will not settle for anything other than a win against Senegal. Netherlands is the favorite in this group and they will start with three points in the opener.

USA vs Wales – 2PM ET

The final game on Monday’s schedule will see the USA kick off their campaign against Wales. The odds for USA to win the FIFA World Cup are middle of the range, currently sitting at +10000, while Wales have fairly similar odds at +15000. USA and Wales are in Group B with England and Iran, who will play earlier today.

Tony Battalio

The United States is finally back in the World Cup and they bring the youngest squad in the tournament with them. It is the beginning of a potential golden generation for the Americans and it all starts here in this game against Wales. This game provides a great opportunity for these young kids to prove themselves even more on the world stage for their country. They are currently ranked 16th in the FIFA World Rankings. 

Wales is making their first appearance in a World Cup in several decades and they have a chance to make some waves in their first game. They are currently ranked 19th in the FIFA world rankings coming into their first group stage game. However, I don’t expect this game to go well for them, as I’m taking the USA to win. 

Aleksandar Ricliev

USA comes into this tournament with a young and exciting team. Playing with a high tempo, high pressure, and an in-your-face style, they will catch a lot of teams off guard. They have the legs and the motor to play that way, but will they be clinical in the final third to score the goals needed to win the games? We will see. Cristian Pulisic is the best player and the leader of the team. Once again, he hasn’t been having a great season at Chelsea FC, so this will be his opportunity to showcase his talents to the world and audition for more playing time or a move to another club. 

The Welsh are happy to be here. They don’t have massive expectations for the World Cup, but the draw was kind to them, as the USA and Iran are teams on their level, and anything can happen. Wales’ gem and the best player is the aging superstar Gareth Bale, who just won his first MLS title with Los Angeles FC. I expect the USA to start fast and furious, and put Wales under pressure from the start. Wales will mostly rely on counterattacks and the individual brilliance of Bale. The match winner is hard to predict, but this should be a fascinating match with a lot of goals, so I am taking the bet of 2.5 goals – over. 

Marko Nadin

The USA versus Wales is probably the key game in Group B which will make a huge difference regarding the question of which team besides England will advance to the knockout phase. Team USA missed the last World Cup and are really hungry for success this time around. The MLS is improving each year and the USA national team follows that trend. USA are slight favorites in the game against Wales but they are not in their best shape since they are coming off a scoreless draw against Saudi Arabia and a 2-0 loss to Japan in the preparation games.

Wales is even in a worse form as they have lost 4 of the last 5 games. They lost to Poland and Belgium in the last two games before going to Qatar. What can make the difference in this game is Gareth Bale who is still an extra quality player who is currently playing for Los Angeles FC. The majority of the Wales squad play in the top level leagues in England which gives them some advantage in this game that will keep Wales undefeated in this game.

If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our soccer hub page for all your FIFA World Cup needs!

*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.