The 2026 FIFA World Cup is anticipated to be the largest sporting event globally and a significant driver for speculative trading, with Bernstein analysts forecasting approximately $3 billion in additional wagers and up to $10 billion in total betting volume across sports-betting and prediction-market platforms. This surge is attributed to the expanded format of 48 national teams and over 100 matches, a 60% increase in "bettable inventory" compared to previous tournaments, providing a substantial boost during a typically slower period for sports wagering.
Deutsche Bank estimates that the U.S. betting handle alone could reach about $3.3 billion, with FanDuel potentially taking around $1.3 billion and DraftKings around $1.1 billion. Other major players like BetMGM, Caesars, and Penn's theScore Bet are also expected to see significant wagering. Macquarie analyst Chad Beynon projects global wagers on the 2026 World Cup could exceed $50 billion, a substantial increase from over $35 billion during the 2022 tournament. This growth is further fueled by increased legal sports betting access in the U.S., with approximately 65% of the population now having access, up from 40% in 2022.
The tournament's favorable North American time zones and enhanced betting products, such as same-game parlays and live
