Is sports betting legal in Canada for the 2026 World Cup?

Yes. Bill C-218 legalized single-game sports betting across Canada in August 2021. Ontario allows private licensed operators, while other provinces operate provincial platforms.

How do decimal odds work on Canadian sportsbooks?

Decimal odds show your total return per C$1 wagered, including your stake. If Canada's odds are 1.85, a C$100 bet returns C$185 total.

When does the 2026 World Cup start and end?

The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026. The opening match features Mexico versus South Africa. The final takes place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

How many teams qualify from each group at the 2026 World Cup?

The top two teams from each of the 12 groups advance automatically. The eight best third-placed teams also qualify, totalling 32 teams in the knockout bracket.

What are the best bets for Canadian bettors at the 2026 World Cup?

Canada to win Group B offers value around 2.20-2.40 odds given their home advantage. Spain at 8.00-10.00 represents strong value as Euro 2024 champions.

Can I bet on World Cup matches while they are in progress?

Yes, live betting is available on most Canadian sportsbooks. Odds update in real time based on match events.

By Senior Soccer Betting Analyst

World Cup 2026 Final Awards: Golden Ball and Golden Glove Odds — Messi and Simón the Short Favourites

Updated July 2026

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The trophy is not the only prize decided on Sunday. The Golden Ball (best player) and Golden Glove (best goalkeeper) are voted and settled around the final, and both markets have hardened into short-priced favourites: Lionel Messi at 1.11 for the Ball, Unai Simón at 1.13 for the Glove. Unlike the Golden Boot — which the bronze game flipped to Mbappé — the awards board did not move this weekend. For the practitioner, that stability is the story: these are near-locked markets where the value, if any, hides in the longshots. Here is the full read on both awards.

The World Cup individual award trophies on display before the final at a floodlit stadium — The Golden Ball and Golden Glove are decided around the final — and both have clear favourites.

Golden Ball favourite Lionel Messi — 1.11 decimal

Golden Glove favourite Unai Simón — 1.13 decimal

Moved this weekend? No — bronze game left the awards board flat

Best longshot Rodri (Golden Ball) 11.0

Two of the three individual awards are near-settled. Messi is 1.11 for the Golden Ball (tournament MVP) — the voters reward the whole tournament, and his 8 goals and 4 assists lead that conversation even though he lost the Golden Boot to Mbappé. Unai Simón is 1.13 for the Golden Glove after six clean sheets and one goal conceded all edition. Neither is a value bet at those prices; the only speculative angles are Rodri (11.0) for the Ball if Spain win and Messi has a quiet final, or Emiliano Martínez (7.50) for the Glove if Argentina win on penalties.

TL;DR — What you need to know in 30 seconds

Golden Ball (best player): Messi 1.11, Rodri 11.0, Lamine Yamal 41.0, Mbappé 51.0.
Golden Glove (best goalkeeper): Unai Simón 1.13, Emiliano Martínez 7.50, Vozinha 23.0, Maignan & Pickford 46.0.
The bronze game did NOT move the awards — only the Golden Boot flipped (to Mbappé, 1.04).
Golden Ball logic: it rewards the whole tournament, not just the final — which is why Messi leads despite losing the Boot.
Golden Glove logic: Simón’s six clean sheets and one goal conceded in seven make him the clear leader; the final could still swing it if Argentina win a shootout.
Value angles: Rodri (11.0) and Emiliano Martínez (7.50) are the only longshots with a realistic path.
Canadian angle: the awards are announced around the 3:00 PM ET final on TSN/Sportsnet.

Award odds verified against the published tournament awards markets (July 18–19, 2026). Odds collected July 19, 2026 (AM ET); ranges shown where books differ.

Golden Ball — Messi the clear favourite

The Golden Ball goes to the tournament’s best player, decided by a media vote around the final. Messi (1.11) leads it comfortably: 8 goals, 4 assists, and the narrative weight of a likely final World Cup. Crucially, the award is not the Golden Boot — losing the scoring race to Mbappé does not cost Messi here, because voters weigh the whole body of work, including assists and decisive knockout moments.

Player	Odds (decimal)	Read
Lionel Messi	1.11	Clear favourite — 8 G, 4 A, whole-tournament weight
Rodri	11.0	The value longshot if Spain win and Messi is quiet
Lamine Yamal	41.0	A final masterclass swing bet
Kylian Mbappé	51.0	Long — the Boot winner, but France finished 4th

Golden Ball odds as of July 19, 2026 (AM ET).

Messi 1.11 decimal for the Golden Ball — what it implies 1.11 decimal ≈ 90% implied probability — a C$100 stake returns C$111 (a C$11 profit). That is a market treating the award as all but decided. The only realistic upset path is a Spain win in which Rodri (11.0, ≈ 9% implied) controls the final and Messi is quiet — a plausible but not likely combination. At 1.11 there is no value on Messi; if you want an awards bet with upside, Rodri at 11.0 is the disciplined longshot, not a chase of the favourite.

Golden Glove — Simón’s record run

The Golden Glove goes to the best goalkeeper, and Unai Simón (1.13) has the numbers to match the price: six clean sheets in a single edition, one goal conceded across seven matches, six consecutive World Cup clean sheets and 650 consecutive World Cup minutes without conceding — both records. If Spain keep another clean sheet in the final, the award is a formality.

Goalkeeper	Odds (decimal)	Read
Unai Simón	1.13	Clear favourite — six clean sheets, one goal conceded
Emiliano Martínez	7.50	Live if Argentina win, especially on penalties
Vozinha	23.0	Cape Verde’s breakout run rewarded
Maignan & Pickford	46.0	Longshots after France/England exits

Golden Glove odds as of July 19, 2026 (AM ET).

The one scenario that swings it: Emiliano Martínez (7.50). If Argentina win — particularly if it goes to a shootout, where Martínez has built his reputation — the voters could reward the goalkeeper who lifted the trophy over the one with the better group-to-knockout numbers. That is the single defensible value play on this board.

Why the bronze game didn’t move the awards

The England 6-4 France result was a 10-goal spectacle, but it only touched the Golden Boot — Mbappé’s brace flipped that race and sent his price to 1.04. The Golden Ball and Golden Glove are decided by the tournament as a whole and by the final, so a third-place play-off — however wild — leaves them untouched. Neither Messi’s 1.11 nor Simón’s 1.13 moved over the weekend, which is itself the signal: the market considers both near-settled going into Sunday.

Three awards, three different stories. The Golden Boot is effectively decided and flipped to Mbappé (1.04) after the bronze game. The Golden Ball (Messi 1.11) rewards the whole tournament and is unaffected by the Boot. The Golden Glove (Simón 1.13) hinges on one more clean sheet. Only two of the three can still realistically change hands in the final — and only if the underdog goalkeeper’s team wins.

Your next steps before the final

[ ] Treat the Golden Ball (Messi 1.11) and Golden Glove (Simón 1.13) as near-settled — no value on the favourites
[ ] If you want awards upside, Rodri (11.0, Golden Ball) and E. Martínez (7.50, Golden Glove) are the disciplined longshots
[ ] Remember the Golden Boot is separate and already Mbappé’s (1.04) — don’t confuse the three markets
[ ] A Spain clean sheet likely seals the Glove for Simón; an Argentina shootout win is the swing for Martínez
[ ] Shop the line — Canadian and U.S. books price the awards longshots differently

Where to read next

Canadian-facing books such as Boomerang Bet, Blitz.bet, LamaBet and RichRoyal carry the tournament awards markets in decimal and C$. Stake only what you set aside, and shop the line first.

Who is favourite for the World Cup 2026 Golden Ball?

Lionel Messi is the clear favourite at 1.11 decimal. The Golden Ball rewards the tournament’s best player over the whole event, and Messi’s 8 goals and 4 assists lead that conversation even though he lost the Golden Boot to Mbappé. Rodri (11.0) is the main longshot.

Who is favourite for the World Cup 2026 Golden Glove?

Unai Simón at 1.13 decimal, after six clean sheets and just one goal conceded in seven matches. Emiliano Martínez (7.50) is the value alternative if Argentina win, especially on penalties.

Did the third-place game change the award odds?

Only the Golden Boot, which flipped to Mbappé (1.04) after his brace. The Golden Ball (Messi 1.11) and Golden Glove (Simón 1.13) did not move, because they are decided by the whole tournament and the final rather than a third-place play-off.

What is the difference between the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot?

The Golden Ball goes to the best player of the tournament (voted), while the Golden Boot goes to the top goalscorer. That is why Messi can lead the Golden Ball (1.11) while trailing Mbappé for the Golden Boot (1.04).

Odds are decimal and were accurate as of July 19, 2026 (AM ET); ranges shown where Canadian and U.S. sportsbooks differ. Lines move; confirm at your sportsbook before betting. 19+ (18+ in AB/QC/MB). Bet responsibly — ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600.