Portugal and Croatia each locked up second-place finishes in their respective groups to reach the World Cup knockout stage, and they’ll square off Thursday night at BMO Field in Toronto with a place in the Round of 16 at stake.
Portugal’s tournament began with an unexpected 1-1 draw against DR Congo before Roberto Martínez’s squad found its footing in a comfortable 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan, led by a Cristiano Ronaldo brace. A scoreless draw against Colombia in the group finale was enough to send Portugal through as the runner-up in Group K.
Croatia also recovered from a bit of a shaky start. After falling 4-2 to England in its opener, Zlatko Dalić’s side responded with consecutive wins over Panama and Ghana to secure second place in Group L and extend its tournament.
Although Portugal owns a 7-2-1 advantage in the all-time series, this will be the nations’ first meeting on the World Cup stage. Croatia has also proven to be a much tougher opponent in the matchup as of late, going 1-1-1 across the teams’ three most recent meetings in 2024.
Portugal vs. Croatia Current Odds
Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook lists Portugal as the favorite entering Thursday night’s knockout clash. It’s important to remember the three-way moneyline only covers regulation, meaning wagers are settled after 90 minutes plus stoppage time. If the match remains tied and moves to extra time, the Draw is graded as the winner.
- 🇵🇹 Portugal (-135)
- ✋ Draw (+260)
- 🇭🇷 Croatia (+400)
Croatia vs. Portugal: Odds to Advance
Expecting this one to require more than 90 minutes? The To Advance market offers another way to bet the match. Unlike the three-way moneyline, this wager includes extra time and penalty kicks, with the winner determined by whichever team ultimately advances.
- 🇵🇹 Portugal to Advance (-275)
- 🇭🇷 Croatia to Advance (+220)
Portugal vs. Croatia Prediction
Looking for an edge before kickoff? Hard Rock Bet’s Stats Hub is loaded with trends and matchup insights to help shape your bets. One trend that immediately stands out favors the underdog in tonight’s matchup.
Croatia to Advance (+220)
Croatia has lost just one of its last 10 World Cup matches played at night, including qualifiers.
While Portugal enters with the bigger names and more talent across the board, the gap between these sides may not be as wide as the market suggests. The Portuguese advanced without losing in the group stage, but they were held in check by DR Congo in their opener and couldn’t break through against Colombia in the finale.
Croatia, meanwhile, appeared to gain confidence with each passing match. After the disappointing loss to England, it responded with two disciplined performances to earn victories over Panama and Ghana, showcasing the type of resilience that has fueled several deep international tournament runs over the past decade.
Recent history between these teams also favors a closer contest than the all-time record suggests. Croatia claimed its first-ever victory over Portugal in 2024 and followed it with a draw later that year, proving it can match up with one of Europe’s traditional powers.
At +220, Croatia offers solid value to survive a match that feels destined to be decided by the smallest of margins. Whether it happens in regulation, extra time or penalties, backing Croatia to reach the next round is worth a look.
World Cup Futures for Croatia, Portugal
The path through this side of the bracket is set. Thursday’s winner will head to Dallas for a Round of 16 meeting with the winner of Spain vs. Austria on July 6.
A victory there would send either Portugal or Croatia to Los Angeles for a July 10 quarterfinal against the winner of USA vs. Belgium.
For bettors looking beyond Thursday night’s matchup, here are the latest futures prices for both nations:
Portugal World Cup Futures
- Portugal to win the World Cup: +1500
- Portugal to reach the Final: +700
- Portugal to reach the Semifinal: +300
- Portugal to reach the Quarterfinal: +170
Croatia World Cup Futures
- Croatia to win the World Cup: +25000
- Croatia to reach the Final: +6000
- Croatia to reach the Semifinal: +1750
- Croatia to reach the Quarterfinal: +800
Portugal vs. Croatia Match Info
📍 Location: BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
📅 Date: Thursday, July 2
⏰ Start Time: 7:00 PM ET
📺 Where to Watch: FOX, Tele, FOX One
🏆 Stage: World Cup Round of 32
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