Thursday's World Cup Qualifier Tips: Cash in on Croatia & go for goals in Scotland v Greece | OneFootball

World Cup 2026

Get Paul Higham's best bets for Thursday's World Cup qualifiers

Paul Higham has his best bets for all of Thursday's World Cup qualifiers, with Croatia looking a great price for another win and backing goals the best play for Scotland's game against Greece.

Finland v Lithuania

17:00 kick-off

These two drew 2-2 in the reverse fixture, but Finland are odds-on 4/9 favourites to go level with Poland on points and stay in touch of second spot in the group - while Lithuania are still winless after just three draws and two defeats - against top two Netherlands and Poland.

The visitors are 13/2 but have lost five of six away games and haven't scored four of those so you have to go for a home win. Finland, though, aren't big scorers so this has the narrow victory look about it.

Austria v San Marino

19:45 kick-off

These are tough betting heats - Austria have won four out of four and now as much of a gimme as you can get in international football - a home tie with San Marino with five defeats from five by an aggregate of 1-18.

The Austrians, just your casual 1/200 favourites here, won the away fixture 4-0 so should be looking to bang in a few more goals in the home leg.

Belarus v Denmark

19:45 kick-off

Two defeats from two for Belarus and now Denmark visit as 1/12 favourites - even though their away form is sketchy at best with just one win in eight, albeit operating at a higher level than this game.

Denmark kind of get the results you'd expect away from home, losing to top-draw sides, drawing at the likes of Serbia, Switzerland and Slovenia and beating Greece, Finland and San Marino so there shouldn't be a problem handling Belarus - who lost 2-0 at home to Scotland last time out with just 27% possession.

Cyprus v Bosnia & Herzegovina

19:45 kick-off

Losing to Austria last game was a big blow for Bosnia after rattling off four straight wins, including a 2-1 over Cyprus at home, and they've been banging goals in so scoring a few here shouldn't be a problem.

The preference here is to back Bosnia in the half-time/full-time market as Cyprus have conceded in the first 45 minutes in four of five outings and Bosnia will make a hot start here as they look to put that Austria defeat behind them.

Czech Republic v Croatia

19:45 kick-offLive on Amazon Prime PPV

This is likely the group decider here with both teams on 12 points but with Croatia having played a game less - although a 5-1 thumping of the Czechs gives them top spot.

Croatia are 11/8 here, which looks a decent price for the World No.10 side on a 13-game unbeaten run in World Cup qualifiers with 17 goals scored in their four group wins and just one conceded.

A draw will still probably do Croatia but with the form they're in - winning 11 of those 13 unbeaten qualifiers - and the fact they can all-but book their spot in the finals means I fancy them to grab all three points at odds-against.

Faroe Island v Montenegro

19:45 kick-off

Neither of these two stand a chance in a group that Czech Republic and Croatia are dominating but third place is at stake. Montenegro won 1-0 at home in the reverse fixture and are 21/20 to do the double.

They've lost eight on the spin away from home though, and the Faroes only lost 1-0 to Croatia after a four-game unbeaten run on their own backyard. I can't quite pull the trigger on the 5/2 for a home win, but I've got this one down as a draw.

Malta v Netherlands

19:45 kick-offLive on Amazon Prime PPV

Pretty much a walkover here for the Dutch, who smashed Malta 8-0 at home in the reverse, so this is a case of how not if they'll win this one.

There's not too much value in most markets for the Oranje, but there's just too much firepower in their squad and the gulf in class is too big to expect anything other than a comfortable victory.

Scotland v Greece

19:45 kick-offLive on BBC Scotland, BBC Two & BBCi

It's been a sound start for Scotland but they need to win here at 9/5 to keep pace with Denmark. The problem is  17/10 shots Greece came to Hampden and won 3-0 only in March this year in the Nations League, so won't have any fear about this trip.

The Scots have started the campaign with a couple of clean sheets, but the way Greece played here last time suggests they're good enough to score at least

Now read our England v Wales match preview & best bets

Recommended bets