After the pre-season build-up, West Ham and Portsmouth begin their competitive 2026/27 campaigns when they meet in the first round of the EFL Cup on Saturday.
The Hammers have dropped down from the Premier League and, while their priority is immediate promotion from the Championship, building momentum in this competition will provide much-needed confidence.
Pompey were 18th in last season's second tier and this will be the clubs' first meeting at the London Stadium.
West Ham United v Portsmouth Tips Summary
Best Bet - West Ham to win and both teams to score @ 2/1
Alternative Bet - Jarrod Bowen anytime goalscorer @ 6/5
Bet Builder - Both teams to score - Yes, Goals range 2-4 & John Swift to be booked @ 9/1
West Ham United v Portsmouth Prediction
Best Bet: West Ham to win and both teams to score @ 2/1
West Ham ended last season with a 3-0 home win over Leeds United, but that was their first clean sheet in five games.
Their 46 goals scored were more than seventh-placed Sunderland (42), yet their 65 conceded were the third most in the division, eight more than fourth-bottom Tottenham.
Losing stabilising presence Axel Disasi after his loan expired means Nuno Espirito Santo is having to fall back on a central defensive pairing of two from Konstantinos Mavropanos, Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman, all of whom have demonstrated inconsistency in their careers.
This will give Portsmouth hope and they notched in their final nine away games last season.
John Mousinho will encourage his team to exploit any Hammers defensive nerves, but the home side should have the quality to progress to the second round of the EFL Cup.
Alternative Bet: Jarrod Bowen anytime goalscorer @ 6/5
Top scorer last season with nine goals, Bowen announced early in the summer that he would be staying at West Ham and he will be determined to deliver promotion to the fans.
The forward has been one of the leading figures in the club's recent history, scoring the winner in the 2023 Conference League final.
Bowen will not be overly bothered by a quiet pre-season, and it would be typical of the fan favourite to net on Saturday and potentially set the tone for a successful season.
West Ham United v Portsmouth Bet Builder Tip
Both teams to score - Yes
Goals range 2-4
John Swift to be booked
Pays 9/1
Having already made both teams to score part of the best bet, it makes perfect sense to begin this three-part Bet Builder by including the same scenario.
Next up, add in a goals range of 2-4, with five of the Hammers' final six games of last season having finished within those parameters, while Pompey's last two games did likewise.
Cap this Bet Builder off with a yellow card for Pompey midfielder John Swift.
He was cautioned nine times last term and is expected to start, with captain Marlon Pack pencilled in to return from knee surgery against QPR next Saturday.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
West Ham lost their opening EFL Cup game of last season, 3-2 at Wolves in the second round
The Hammers have twice been League Cup runners-up, in 1966 and 1981
Portsmouth lost 2-1 to Reading last August, the second season they have been eliminated in the first round
Pompey netted in their final five away games of 2025-26
Captain Jarrod Bowen was West Ham's top scorer last season with nine goals
Portsmouth midfielder John Swift received nine yellow cards last season
Read more football betting tips and predictions on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
