Portugal vs. Croatia arrives with better ghosts than most Round of 32 matches. Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric are still here, still bending tournament gravity around aging legs and impossible pedigrees. Portugal carries the shorter price, deeper squad, and louder public support. Croatia carries scar tissue, midfield craft, and the slightly vampiric habit of surviving matches that look especially dire.
Here are the opening betting odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook for England vs. DR Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32.
Opening odds for Portugal vs. Croatia on DraftKings Sportsbook
Portugal opened at -240 to advance at DraftKings Sportsbook, while Croatia is +185 to reach the Round of 16. The 90-minute moneyline is tighter: Portugal is -125, Croatia is +370, and the draw is +265. Portugal is also taking 85% of moneyline bets at the book, which gives this market a familiar shape. The public sees Portugal’s talent gap. The matchup asks whether that talent can turn possession into clean chances before Croatia starts draining the color from the clock.
Portugal finished second in Group K after a 0-0 draw with Colombia in Miami. That result sent both teams through, but Colombia won the group and left Portugal with a sharper knockout route. Reuters noted Diogo Costa made six saves and kept a second straight clean sheet, while Portugal’s press reacted with frustration over the team’s flat attacking mood. Croatia comes next in Toronto, and Spain could follow in the Round of 16.
That group finish explains the price without making Portugal feel spotless. Ronaldo scored twice in the 5-0 win over Uzbekistan earlier in the group, and Portugal still owns the technical quality to win this match in regulation. The concern is rhythm. Portugal drew DR Congo 1-1, crushed Uzbekistan, then stalled against Colombia. That is enough evidence for the book to make Portugal favored, and enough friction to keep the 90-minute line from becoming arrogant.
Croatia finished second in Group L by beating Ghana 2-1 in Philadelphia. Petar Sucic scored from distance, Ghana equalized in the 73rd minute, and Nikola Vlasic won it in the 83rd off a Modric corner. Modric became the oldest player to record an assist at a World Cup, which sounds like trivia until he starts deciding knockout matches from the corner flag.
Croatia’s tournament has already had the full late-period Croatia experience. They opened with a 4-2 loss to England, steadied themselves with a 1-0 win over Panama on Modric’s 200th cap, then beat Ghana when a draw might have been enough. That matters for the betting shape because Croatia does not need aesthetic control to become a problem. They need duels, fouls, second balls, one clean wide delivery, and a match that still feels undecided after 60 minutes.
The total sits at 2.5 goals, with the over +105 and the under -130. That price respects Portugal’s shot volume and attacking names without treating this as a clean shootout. The spread market carries the same tension: Portugal -0.5 is -135, while Croatia +0.5 is +105. A Croatia cover means either a draw or an upset inside 90 minutes, which fits the underdog script better than a full advancement swing.
Kickoff is set for Thursday, July 2, at 7 p.m. ET from Toronto Stadium. FIFA lists it as Match 83 in the Round of 32, with the winner moving into the Spain-Austria portion of the bracket. Portugal deserves favorite status, but the market has already absorbed the obvious part. The cleaner early read is Croatia +0.5 (+105), with Portugal still advancing after a long, nervous evening.
Early read score: Portugal 1, Croatia 1; Portugal advances in extra time.
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