England supporters are less likely to back their national team to win this summer’s FIFA World Cup than bettors in several rival European markets, according to new data released by Entain.
The Ladbrokes and Coral owner found that 20% of outright betting slips placed in England back the Three Lions to lift the trophy, despite England entering the tournament among the leading contenders.
The figures form part of Entain’s Patriotic Punter Index, which measures how strongly bettors in individual countries support their own national teams in the outright winner market.
Portugal recorded the highest level of domestic support, with 57% of outright slips placed in the country backing Portugal.
France ranked second on 29%, followed by Austria on 25%, Germany on 24%, Colombia on 23% and Brazil on 21%.
England’s 20% placed it in the middle of the rankings, while Spain recorded 16%.
The findings come ahead of the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup, which will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico and culminate with the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 19 July.
The tournament marks the first World Cup under the new format, increasing the number of participating nations and matches compared with previous editions.
While Portugal led the patriotic rankings, Spain emerged as the most popular selection overall across Entain’s global markets, accounting for 17% of all outright bets.
France followed with 15%, while England and Portugal each attracted 11% of wagers.
Brazil accounted for 9%, with Argentina and Germany each on 7%.
Scotland’s figures reflected more cautious expectations despite the nation reaching its first World Cup finals since 1998.
According to Entain, only 9% of outright bets placed in Scotland backed the Tartan Army to win the tournament at odds of 300/1. Cross-border support remained limited, with 8% of Scottish bettors backing England and only 1% of English bettors backing Scotland.
Entain Group Trading Director Tom Ritzema said: “The Patriotic Punter Index shows that football loyalty and betting logic don’t always go hand in hand.”
Ritzema added: “Portugal clearly stands out as the most patriotic market, with fans firmly backing their team, while countries like France and Germany also show strong belief.”
The data also highlights the importance of major international football tournaments to sportsbook operators.
Events such as the World Cup typically generate significant betting volumes across regulated markets, particularly in Europe, where operators increasingly rely on major sporting events to drive customer engagement amid tighter regulatory scrutiny and advertising restrictions.
Last week, Entain renewed its campaign against unlicensed gambling sponsorships in English football. In an open letter to six Premier League clubs, Group General Counsel and Chief Customer Care Officer Simon Zinger urged teams to end relationships with unlicensed operators, arguing that such arrangements contribute to black-market gambling activity.
The 2026 World Cup is the first edition to feature 48 teams, expanding the tournament from 64 matches to 104
