The 2026 World Cup Is Two Weeks Away — And Sports Bettors Are About to Experience Something New

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in just over two weeks, and for the first time in history, the tournament is being hosted in North America across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. That geographic proximity, combined with the rapid expansion of legal sports betting since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling, means that American sports bettors will have access to regulated wagering on the World Cup to a degree that was not possible at any previous tournament. The scale of betting interest is expected to shatter records.

Steven Pizzella, an analyst at Deutsche Bank, estimated in a recent note that betting on the 2026 World Cup could exceed $4 billion, driven by improved media coverage, the tournament being hosted in North America for the first time, and the maturation of the legal sports betting market since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. That event took place in November and December, an unusual time slot that limited some casual engagement. The 2026 tournament follows a traditional summer schedule that aligns better with peak sports betting activity patterns in the United States.

How the Legal Landscape Has Changed

In 2022, legal sports betting was available in roughly 30 states when the World Cup was played. Today, that number has expanded significantly, and more jurisdictions have come online since then. The expansion means that a substantially larger share of the American betting public now has access to regulated platforms, with the added benefit of mobile wagering apps that allow bets from virtually anywhere within state borders.

Major sportsbooks including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, and ESPN Bet are all preparing extensive World Cup coverage, promotional offers, and live wagering markets. The variety of bet types available for soccer has also grown substantially, with same-game parlays, player props, and live in-play markets now standard features on most platforms. For casual bettors who may not wager on soccer regularly, the World Cup represents an entry point that major operators have been preparing for with targeted promotions.

Prediction markets, which are accessible to users as young as 18 and available in states where traditional sportsbooks are not yet licensed, will also see significant World Cup activity. Kalshi and Polymarket have confirmed plans for event contracts on match outcomes, group stage advancement, and tournament winners, giving a broader demographic access to financial exposure on the competition’s results.

What to Watch in the Betting Markets

Argentina and Brazil are among the early betting favorites to win the tournament, with France, England, and Spain also drawing significant wagering interest. Lionel Messi, who was recently confirmed to Argentina’s official 2026 World Cup squad and is set for a record sixth tournament appearance, is featured prominently in Golden Boot and MVP prop markets. The United States national team’s performance will drive outsized domestic betting volume, as home-nation interest reliably inflates wagering activity regardless of the team’s underlying odds.

For serious bettors, the World Cup offers a wide slate of specialty markets including first goal scorer, half-time result, and corner kick totals, in addition to the standard moneyline, spread, and totals offerings. Value opportunities in the group stage, where the range of competitive ability among the 48 qualifying teams creates genuine pricing inefficiencies, are particularly sought after by sharp bettors.

Sportsbooks in states like New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Illinois are expected to record their largest single-event sports betting handles since the Super Bowl. With the tournament kicking off shortly and group stage scheduling providing multiple daily matches, the operational demands on legal sportsbooks will be significant, and early promotions are already beginning to circulate ahead of the opening weekend.