Germany and Ivory Coast meet at BMO Field in Toronto on Saturday, June 20 at 4:00 PM ET / 3:00 PM CT / 2:00 PM MT / 1:00 PM PT — a matchday two clash that decides the top of Group F.
Germany made the loudest statement of the opening round, rolling Curaçao 7-1 at NRG Stadium — the heaviest result anywhere in the tournament so far. Ivory Coast, by contrast, took the slow road, grinding out a 1-0 win over Ecuador in Philadelphia. Two ways to open with a victory, two very different reads on the way to matchday two.
Both sides arrive on three points. A win here essentially books round-of-32 progression before the final round of group games. Germany have the goal-difference cushion and a far cleaner front three; Ivory Coast bring the kind of compact defensive shape that will frustrate Julian Nagelsmann’s side a lot more than Curaçao did.
bet365 has Germany priced at -182, the draw at +320 and Ivory Coast out at +475. The line reads as a squad-depth tax on the Ivorians, but their matchday-one defensive performance was the kind that draws money to the under and to BTTS No.
Germany vs Ivory Coast: Best Bets & Predictions
Germany are the right lean, but the value sits in the goal markets and the scorer props rather than the moneyline alone.
| Our Prediction | Odds & Sportsbook | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match Result: Germany | -182 @ bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Germany walked over Curaçao and arrive with the deepest squad in the group. Ivory Coast are sharper than their 1-0 over Ecuador implies, but Nagelsmann’s spine — Wirtz, Havertz, Musiala — still wins the talent argument. |
| Total Goals: Over 2.5 | -138 @ bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Germany have just put seven on the scoreboard and Ivory Coast’s matchday-one win came with chances at both ends. Neither manager is going to park the bus from minute one of this fixture. |
| Kai Havertz Anytime Goalscorer | +110 @ bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Havertz tops the bet365 anytime market and is the central striker in Nagelsmann’s 4-2-3-1. He has the movement and finishing range to feast on the chances Germany create against a back four that gave Ecuador’s forwards openings in Philadelphia. |
| Both Teams To Score: Yes | -125 @ bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Germany conceded once against the weakest side in the group, and Ivory Coast have the pace in transition to find at least a moment against a German side that pushes its full-backs aggressively high. |
| Nick Woltemade Anytime Goalscorer | +140 @ bet365 | ⭐⭐⭐ | Woltemade gives Nagelsmann a contrasting target option and sits joint-second in the scorer market behind Havertz. Expect rotation in the second half regardless of the score. |
Our approach: Germany to win, paired with Over 2.5 Goals and Havertz to score for a correlated route in.
19+ (18+ in AB/MB/QC). Odds correct at time of writing and subject to change. Please play responsibly.
Group F — 2026 FIFA World Cup
Germany and Ivory Coast are level on three points after matchday one. Ecuador and Curaçao are both on zero and play their own parallel must-win later in the Saturday window. For the full bracket and group breakdown, see our World Cup 2026 hub.
| Team | Pos | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | +6 | 3 |
| Ivory Coast | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| Ecuador | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Curaçao | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 0 |
Potential Match-Winners
- Kai Havertz (Germany): Havertz tops Germany’s anytime-scorer market at bet365 and is the central striker in Nagelsmann’s 4-2-3-1. He has the movement to convert the chances Germany create from wide.
- Florian Wirtz (Germany): Wirtz controls the German midfield and arrives in form. He sits among the shortest priced for an anytime goal and is the line-breaking threat that pulled Curaçao’s shape apart on matchday one.
- Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast): The Manchester United winger is the Ivorians’ main attacking threat from wide. He is the player most likely to test a German full-back pushed high under Nagelsmann.
- Evann Guessand (Ivory Coast): Guessand gives Ivory Coast a direct line-leader and a target for the early ball into channels that hurt Ecuador’s centre-backs in their opener.
World Cup Form So Far
- Germany — beat Curaçao 7-1 (June 14, NRG Stadium). The biggest scoreline of the group stage so far. Nagelsmann’s side scored at will once Havertz opened it up and never let Curaçao back in. The caveat: the opponent was the group’s weakest defensive unit by some distance. The way Germany moved the ball and pressed in the front third was the real read.
- Ivory Coast — beat Ecuador 1-0 (June 14, Lincoln Financial Field). A measured, disciplined opener. Ivory Coast defended deep when they had to, broke quickly when the chance arrived, and saw out a 1-0 win against opponents who carried real attacking threat. Exactly the foundation a team needs to take into a tougher matchday-two fixture.
Germany vs Ivory Coast Prediction
Germany should still control this. Their best players sit further forward than Ivory Coast’s and the attacking output we saw on matchday one is hard to argue with even if the opposition was poor. The risk: Ivory Coast’s shape will mean Germany have to be patient, and that opens the door for a goal on the counter. Back Germany to win at -182 with bet365, paired with Over 2.5 Goals. For the wider market, our World Cup 2026 outright odds page tracks the title picture, and you can read our full bet365 review before you bet. Kick-off is 1:00 PM ET at BMO Field in Toronto.
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