The Argentina World Cup 2026 campaign has been clinically efficient so far and Lionel Scaloni will be demanding more of the same in their David vs Goliath last-32 clash against Cape Verde . Turbo-charged by Lionel Messi , the reigning champions were one of only four nations to progress through the group stage with a 100% record after seeing off the challenges of Austria, Algeria and Jordan .
That saw them finish five points clear at the top of Group J , and it would be one of the World Cup’s biggest ever upsets if their title defence were to be ended by minnows Cape Verde . The tiny archipelago off the west coast of Africa are playing in their first World Cup but have already made a huge impact, finishing runners-up in a group that included Spain , Uruguay and Saudi Arabia without losing a match.
If you fancy the fairytale to continue, Cape Verde are 9/1 to reach the last 16 - compared to 1/25 for Argentina - and 20/1 to qualify in normal time , but we simply cannot see the Albiceleste coming unstuck. Therefore, our opening Argentina vs Cape Verde prediction is for the holders to win with over 2.5 goals in total @ 8/11 .
Betting Odds
Argentina vs Cape Verde Betting Odds - 2026 World Cup Round of 32
Result | Odds | Chance |
|---|---|---|
Argentina | 1/6 | 85.7% |
Cape Verde | 16/1 | 5.9% |
Draw | 11/2 | 15.4% |
*Odds are correct at the time of writing, but subject to change.
Argentina are 1/6 favourites to beat Cape Verde , who are 16/1 for the win, with the draw at 11/2.
How to Watch
How to watch Argentina vs Cape Verde
The World Cup round of 32 match is scheduled to begin at 23:00 BST on Friday and will be shown live on ITV1 .
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Predicted XIs
Argentina vs Cape Verde Predicted Lineups
Argentina Predicted XI
Cape Verde Predicted XI
Form Guides
Argentina form guide
Life as an Argentina fan right now is pretty sweet, and likely to only get better. As well as their 2022 World Cup triumph, Argentina are the two-time reigning Copa America champions - having previously not won the tournament since 1993 - and have spent much of the last three years as the world’s top-ranked side .
They cruised through World Cup qualifying, finishing nine points clear, and won all seven friendlies leading up to this summer’s finals by a combined 21-1 scoreline. And with captain Messi in record-breaking form the Argentina World Cup squad have been similarly impressive in North America, winning all three Group J games by a combined 8-1 score.
Messi has notched six of those goals and, having seen Golden Boot rival Kylian Mbappe join him at the top of the charts with a brace on Monday, the 39-year-old will no doubt be looking to respond in kind. In our World Cup tips today we are backing Messi to score at least twice @ 19/10 . We’re also going for Argentina to win both halves - as they have done in five of their last six fixtures - @ 11/8 .
Cape Verde form guide
Cape Verde’s first finals trip was expected to be a short one, drawn in the same group as reigning European champions Spain , former two-time world champions Uruguay and a Saudi Arabia side who stunned Argentina first up in 2022. However, Bubista ’s men showed their fighting spirit to hold Spain 0-0 in their opening match , and then proved it was no fluke by drawing their other two fixtures as well.
Three points was enough for the Blue Sharks to finish second behind Spain as Uruguay suffered a shock early exit, but we cannot see another upset against a tenacious Argentina outfit in Miami . Cape Verde only scored twice in the group stage, both against Uruguay , and their tally of seven shots on target is the second-lowest of any side that reached the last 32.
Also included in our World Cup tips today is an Argentina clean sheet, with odds of 1/2 for under 0.5 away goals .
Betting Tips
Argentina vs Cape Verde Betting Tips – World Cup Round of 32
Argentina to win with over 2.5 goals in total @ 8/11
Lionel Messi to score 2+ goals @ 19/10
Simply click/tap on the above betting tips to add to your betslip.
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