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The race for the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot is heating up, with several of the world's best attacking players stepping up to the plate in North America over the past couple of weeks.
As things stand, Lionel Messi is the narrow favourite to win the award, but Kylian Mbappe is not far behind. Messi is currently on eight goals for the tournament, one ahead of Mbappe, who will look to respond with a big performance against Morocco on Thursday night.
There are other contenders, too, notably Erling Haaland, who is still in the mix following his sensational double against Brazil. Those goals, which fired Norway into the quarter-finals, have put Haaland on seven goals for the tournament, level with Mbappe.
Below, we compare the top goalscorer odds from Bet365, BetMGM, Ladbrokes, William Hill and Betfred to help give you an idea of where the value lies in the market. The page will be updated each time to reflect the latest odds from the best World Cup betting sites.
Latest World Cup 2026 top scorer odds
Odds correct as of 06:30 Wednesday, July 8. Odds subject to change. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org.
- Favourite: Lionel Messi
- Current top scorer: Lionel Messi (eight)
- Best price available: Messi at 11/8.
- Notable mover: Erling Haaland
Who are the favourites to be World Cup top scorer?
Lionel Messi
Following his goal against Egypt in the round of 16, Lionel Messi is now the favourite to win the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup.
At the age of 38, it wasn't unreasonable to assume that the Inter Miami man was no longer capable of the kind of form that had previously earned him eight Ballons d'Ors, but after just five matches, and now aged 39, Messi has scored eight goals – and it could have been more, but for two missed penalties.
The standout moment of Messi's World Cup so far was his equaliser against Egypt, as Argentina were heading for the exit door without it.
Argentina have a favourable quarter-final match against Switzerland, which represents a golden opportunity for Messi to add to his tally.
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is currently the favourite to win the World Cup's Golden Boot, and it's difficult to argue against the bookies' assessment.
The Frenchman has been electric in all five matches he has played this summer, scoring seven goals in the process, and is firmly establishing himself as ‘Mr World Cup', given that he is just one goal behind Messi in the all-time World Cup goalscoring stakes.
Mbappe is the French captain, and as such, he generally plays more minutes than any of their other forwards.
Those forwards are also a big help to Mbappe in his quest for a second World Cup Golden Boot – Michael Olise is currently leading the way in terms of assists at the World Cup, while Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue all demand attention from defenders, which naturally creates more space for Mbappe.
Erling Haaland
There was some talk prior to the World Cup that Erling Haaland may struggle to score goals outside of his Manchester City bubble, but the big Norwegian has silenced those naysayers in impressive fashion.
Haaland has already scored seven goals for Norway this summer and became the first man in 72 years to score in his first three World Cup starts when he netted a late winner against the Ivory Coast in the round of 32.
There are a couple of key reasons why Haaland is priced longer than Messi and Mbappe to win the Golden Boot, and they both relate to the Norway squad.
Most importantly, Norway will go into their quarter-final match with England as the underdogs, meaning there is every chance that Haaland's final World Cup appearance this summer is imminent. Secondly, he doesn't have the same quality of service that the other players on this list have.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane started the World Cup in brilliant form, scoring twice as England overcame Croatia 4-2; however, he was largely quiet against Ghana and Panama, despite finding the net against the latter.
The Bayern Munich striker burst back into life against DR Congo, though, scoring twice to rescue England from the jaws of defeat, before scoring a crucial penalty as England downed Mexico 3-2.
Kane may not have the guile of Messi or the explosiveness of Mbappe, but he is just as deadly in front of goal as the pair of them.
Next up is a trip to Miami to face Norway, which is quite a favourable fixture for a quarter-final. As such, Kane's status as just the fourth-favourite for the Golden Boot is perhaps a mistake.
Mikel Oyarzabal
With Spain improving with every passing game, there is a slight chance that Mikel Oyarzabal makes a late surge in the race for the Golden Boot.
The Real Sociedad man has scored four goals in North America so far this summer, so he will need to put his foot down if he is to mount a serious challenge to Messi, Mbappe and co.
Oyarzabal missed a gilt-edged chance in the first half of Spain's round of 16 clash with Portugal, which fortunately didn't come back to haunt him and his team. With only potentially three games left to play, it would take a monumental effort for him to win the Golden Boot from here.
World Cup top scorer prediction
- Our pick: Kylian Mbappe
- Best odds: 10/11 at Bet365
- Current goals: 7
- Why he appeals: Mbappe has it all. He has a previous history of winning the World Cup Golden Boot, a group of players that play to his strengths and tremendous finishing prowess. France also have a ‘nice' quarter-final against Morocco up next, but that almost feels irrelevant when discussing a player who scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final.
- Main risk: Shock elimination.
Check out the TNT Sport betting hub for more World Cup tips and predictions.
How does World Cup Golden Boot betting work?
Golden Boot betting at the World Cup is simply betting on which player you think will finish with the most goals at the tournament. In the event that two or more players finish on the same number of goals, there are a few potential scenarios that will play out, depending on the bookmaker. Some bookies will pay out while others will potentially void the bet.
The most common outcome is that bookmakers will follow FIFA's rules to determine the winner. FIFA states that if two or more players finish the tournament on the same number of goals, then the Golden Boot winner will be determined by which player has the most assists. If this is also a tie, then the player who has played the fewest minutes wins. Regardless of whether you are using a new betting site or an old one, make sure to read the market's terms and conditions before placing a bet.
All goals scored in normal and extra time count towards a player's tally. However, goals scored in penalty shootouts do not.
What matters when betting on World Cup top scorer odds?
Key factors:
- Team progression: The deeper a team goes, the more opportunities there will be to score goals.
- Penalty duties: Penalty takers have a major edge.
- Minutes security: Avoid players who are likely to be rotated or substituted early.
- Fixture difficulty: Weaker opponents can create early scoring spikes.
- Current goal tally: Live tournament bettors should not ignore goals already banked.
- Assists / tie-break rules: Relevant if betting on the official Golden Boot rather than the bookmaker's dead-heat settlement.
- Injuries and suspensions: Prices can move quickly, so back players who are rarely injured where possible.
