Kane Fires to SPOTY Favouritism After World Cup Heroics

England captain leads McIlroy in race for BBC award

Harry Kane has surged to the top of the betting for the 2026 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award following his match-winning display at the World Cup in North America.

The Bayern Munich striker netted twice in Atlanta to overturn a half-time deficit against DR Congo and send England into a last-16 showdown with Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium in the early hours of Monday morning.

Kane’s brace took his tally to five goals for the tournament so far, putting him firmly in contention for the Golden Boot in a star-studded tussle involving Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

His talismanic role under Thomas Tuchel has not gone unnoticed in the betting to bag the annual BBC award, with BOYLE Sports cutting the England captain into 2/1 from 4/1 overnight.

Rory McIlroy, who scooped the gong last year, had set the standard having already performed his own heroics in the state of Georgia this year by bagging a second Masters title at the famous Augusta National.

McIlroy was seen enjoying a day out in his green jacket at Wimbledon while Kane was rescuing the Three Lions on the other side of the Atlantic, but the Northern Irishman (9/2) has now fallen behind the England skipper in the race to be crowned Sports Personality of the Year.

“Harry Kane’s rescue act in Atlanta was exactly the kind of moment that captures the public’s imagination, and punters are very much on the ball. Rory McIlroy did set an early benchmark this year, but Kane’s goals in the States makes him the one they all have to beat.”

BBC Sports Personality of the Year

2/1        Harry Kane

9/2        Rory McIlroy

10/1      Matt Weston

14/1      Luke Littler

20/1      Declan Rice

20/1      George Russell

20/1      Jude Bellingham

20/1      Keely Hodgkinson

20/1      Lewis Hamilton

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