Who will win Group E in the 2022 World Cup?

Group E will feature a battle between European heavyweights as Spain and Germany will go head-to-head alongside Japan and Costa Rica.

It is debatable who should go into this group as favourites as Germany have been in a period of transition since winning their last World Cup in 2014, while the same could also be said of Spain who were so dominant between 2008-2012 when they won back-to-back Euros and the 2010 World Cup but have relatively underperformed in recent tournaments.

In our fifth group preview, we look at the latest betting odds for Group E in Qatar!

*Prices subject to change, spread betting losses may exceed deposit

WHAT ARE THE WORLD CUP BETTING ODDS ON GERMANY IN GROUP E?

The four-time winners last won this trophy in Brazil in 2014 when they overcame Argentina in extra time but aren't considered one of the leading favourites this time around. With that being said, they are available on the fixed odds at 10/1 to be outright winners, and a strong squad filled with a mixture of youth and experience will surely be hopeful of avoiding a similar fate to the 2018 World Cup when they crashed out in the group stages as defending champions.

'Die Mannschaft' have been one of the most consistent performers in World Cup history, and since 1990 have finished as winners twice, runners up once, and third-placed twice. In this group, they are available with an opening spread of 14.5 - 16 on the binary 25-10-5-0 market. This means that the market settles at 25 if they come top, 10 if they finish second, 5 if they finish third, and 0 if they finish bottom. On the fixed odds, they are available at 5/4 to win the group, 1/6 to qualify, and 9/2 not to qualify. In terms of the spread price on them becoming outright champions, their Tournament Winner odds on the spreads stands at 30 - 33.

It remains to be seen who will take the scoring mantle for the Germans, but on the Highest Team Scoring Index market, Germany are available at 14 - 17. In this market, the top scoring nation will have a market settlement of 100, with the second-highest settling at 50 and third-highest at 25.

WHAT ARE THE WORLD CUP BETTING ODDS ON SPAIN IN GROUP E?

The group favourites are Luis Enrique's Spain, who were unfancied in last year's Euros but made an impressive run through to the semi-finals, something they would hope to emulate or even surpass in this tournament. However, 'La Furia Roja' do not historically have a huge pedigree in this competition other than their win in 2010 and fourth place finish back in 1950, with all of their other appearances ending in eliminations at or before the quarter-final stage.

In terms of the betting odds ahead of their group campaign here, Spain are available with an opening spread of 17 - 18.5 on the Group D index, and on the fixed odds at 5/6 to win the group, and 1/11 to qualify or 6/1 not to qualify. In terms of their chances of winning a second World Cup, their outright odds put them at 15/2 on the fixed odds, with a spread of 33 - 36. They will have to greatly improve on their performances in 2014 and 2018 though, as they crashed out in the group stage and then lost to the huge underdogs Russia in the round of 16.

In terms of goalscorers, it will again likely be a case of collective responsibility rather than a focus on one player, as is the way with the 'Tiki-Taka' style of play. Spain haven't generally produced a huge amount of goals in general, only scoring seven in 2018, four in 2014, and just eight in winning the tournament in 2010. Spain are available at 17 - 20 on the Highest Scoring Team Index market and have a Tournament Goals Scored spread of 9 - 9.5. Would you buy or sell?

WHAT ARE THE WORLD CUP BETTING ODDS ON JAPAN IN GROUP E?

The Asian representation in the group will come in the form of Japan, who will be taking part in their seventh World Cup and would surely be happy with matching their best result of a round-of-16 place, considering the opposition they will be facing in the group. Since 1998, the Japanese have had alternating finishes of group stage exits and round-of-16 appearances, including 2018. Will that trend continue and see them exiting at the group stages again here?

Japan come into the tournament with a Group E index spread of 4.5 - 6, firmly ahead of Costa Rica as third-favourites, and on the fixed odds at 12/1 to top the group, and 3/1 to qualify and 9/2 to not qualify. In the 2018 World Cup, Japan managed to score six goals - their highest ever total in a World Cup. Will they match or exceed that here? Their Tournament Goals spread is available at 3 - 3.5.

On our team group markets, the Japanese are available on the Team Group Points Won market at 2.75 - 2.95. Would you buy or sell?

WHAT ARE THE WORLD CUP BETTING ODDS ON COSTA RICA IN GROUP E?

And finally, group E's definite outsiders will be the CONCACAF representatives Costa Rica, a side competing in their sixth World Cup, and perhaps best remembered for escaping a 'group of death' including Uruguay, England and Italy in the 2014 World Cup on their way to a highly impressive quarter-final performance, when players such as Keylor Navas and Bryan Ruiz made their names on the world stage.

In terms of the betting odds, the Costa Ricans aren't favoured to repeat any of those heroics here. They are available with a Group Index spread of just 1 - 2.5, and on the fixed odds at 50/1 to win Group E, 11/1 to qualify and 1/22 not to qualify. In 2018, they exited in the group stages and scored just twice. They are available on the fixed odds at 13/2 to be the lowest scoring team in the competition.

Can Costa Rica defy expectations and produce a shock similar to 2014 again here?

View all of our FIFA 2022 World Cup betting markets here!