World Cup Day 6 Betting Parlay Pick: Lionel Messi to Score First Goal
We are nearly a week into action at the 2026 World Cup with Day 6 on tap Tuesday with a tripleheader, and it might be the best slate thus far because of the presence of defending champion and FIFA world No. 1 Argentina and perennial contender France in action in separate matches. All three games Tuesday are played at United States venues with two from Group I and one from J.
Check out our full list of World Cup 2026 odds.
France vs. Senegal Group I Odds
Location: East Rutherford, N.J.
Time: 3 p.m. ET
How to watch in Canada: TSN, TSN+
The Group I opener features likely the two best countries in it with France ranked No. 2 in the world by FIFA and Senegal No. 16. Were Senegal to get a draw here, that would be huge for chances of advancing but we are hoping that’s not the case. Led by superstars Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembélé, the French should be too strong. They of course lost in the 2022 final on penalties to Argentina.
Mbappe’s 56 career goals for Les Bleus are one shy of the country record set by Olivier Giroud and Mbappe has 12 in the World Cup. He was the Golden Boot winner four years ago in Qatar and was the favourite entering this tournament. Dembélé has been a part of the past two Champions League winners in French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain and won the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner as the world’s top player.
Senegal is in its third all-time World Cup and dominated qualifying in going unbeaten in 10 matches and outscoring opponents 22-3. Sadio Mane’s 54 career international goals are most all-time by Senegalese player.
France has won its past three World Cup openers and hasn’t lost it since 2002 against … Senegal.
France vs. Senegal betting pick: Senegal +1.5 (-170)
Parlay pick: France moneyline + Mbappe at least two shots on goal
Iraq vs. Norway Group I Odds
Location: Foxborough, Mass.
Time: 6 p.m. ET
How to watch in Canada: TSN, TSN+
It’s the first-ever meeting between these countries with just slightly different climates. Iraq is in its second World Cup and first since 1986, while Norway is back in the world’s biggest event for the first time since 1988 when it reached the Round of 16.
Iraq, ranked 57th in the word, is seeking not just its first-ever World Cup point but its first lead as it went three-and-out back in 1986 with each a one-goal loss. Ahmed Radhi has the country’s lone goal, coming in a 2-1 defeat to Belgium. Iraq had to play 21 qualifiers to get here, the most of any nation, and was the 48th and last team in the field. Captain Aymen Hussein had the clinching goal in qualifying and his 33 career goals for the side are fifth-most.
World No. 31 Norway has two of Europe’s top forwards in Erling Haaland, who won this season’s Premier League Golden Boot Award for a third time, and Martin Ødegaard. Haaland had an incredible 16 goals in WC qualifying to tie an all-time FIFA record. He has scored at least one goal in 32 of 50 career international caps. Ødegaard, a member of this season’s Premier League championship side Arsenal, had seven assists in qualifying.
Iraq vs. Norway betting pick: Iraq +2.5 (-195)
Parlay pick: Norway moneyline + Over 2.5 goals
Argentina vs. Algeria Group J Odds
Location: Kansas City
Time: 9 p.m. ET
How to watch in Canada: TSN, TSN+
Argentina enters Lionel Messi’s final World Cup atop the FIFA rankings and trying to become only the third team to repeat, but the Argentines better not take world No. 21 Algeria likely. The only previous meeting was a 2007 friendly won by Argentina, 4-3, in Brazil. Messi had two goals.
Pre-tournament favourite and world No. 3 Spain was held to a scoreless draw Monday by No. 64 Cabo Verde in a stunning result so nothing is assured. Like Cabo Verde, Algeria really has nothing to lose here and a draw would be massive for the country’s chances of advancing out of Group J. The Algerians are in their fifth World Cup and first since 2014 when they reached the Round of 16. The country’s lone win in a World Cup opener was against West Germany in 1982. Mohamed Amoura led the club with 10 WC qualifying goals this time.
Led by Messi, Argentina returns 17 players from its 2022 championship team, and the country has won three straight major tournaments: 2021 Copa América, 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America. Messi’s 13 career World Cup goals are fourth in history and his 26 games played in the event are the most. Argentina, however, hasn’t won its opening World Cup match since 2014.
Argentina vs. Algeria betting pick: Algeria +1.5 (-150)
Parlay pick: Argentina money line + Messi first goalscorer