England fans show less domestic confidence in World Cup victory than other nations

England fans demonstrate notably lower confidence in their team’s chances to claim the World Cup compared to supporters from several rival nations, according to recent betting data. Despite England being among the tournament favorites, only around 20% of domestic bets placed by English punters favor the Three Lions to win the competition.

Portuguese supporters lead all nations in backing their home team, with over half of bets placed domestically—57%—wagered on Portugal’s success. This level of loyalty exceeds that of France, which follows with 29% of home market bets on its team, along with Austria at 25% and Germany at 24%. Scotland ranks lowest among the home nations, with just 9% of bets placed by Scots on Scotland lifting the trophy, reflecting the team’s long odds.

The data, compiled by the betting group Entain from bets placed up to early June, also highlights the limited cross-border betting support within the UK. Only 8% of Scottish bettors support England to win, while just 1% of English bettors back Scotland. Meanwhile, from a global perspective, Spain emerges as the most popular choice overall, despite only 16% of Spanish betters backing their national team at home.

Tom Ritzema, Entain’s group trading director, noted that there is a difference between football passion and betting strategy. Supporters often balance loyalty with realistic assessments of their team’s prospects, especially following years of near misses for England. While countries like Portugal and France demonstrate clear belief in their teams, the overall global betting landscape suggests many are looking beyond national allegiances in selecting the World Cup winner.