The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11 with the United States, Mexico, and Canada serving as co-hosts for what will be the largest edition of the tournament in the competition’s history. With 48 national teams competing across 104 matches — up from 64 matches in previous tournaments — bettors will have more opportunities to wager on the world’s most-watched event than ever before. For sportsbooks across North America, the coming weeks represent one of the most significant commercial moments in the brief history of legal online sports betting in the region.
The expansion of the tournament format is matched by a historic expansion in legal sports betting markets. When the last World Cup was held in Qatar in 2022, mobile sports betting was legal in fewer than 30 U.S. states. That number now stands at 38 states plus Washington, D.C. Canada has also seen a dramatic expansion of single-game sports betting following federal legislation that took effect in 2021, and Brazil became a regulated sports betting market in early 2025.
A Massive Market Ready to Bet
Brazil’s emergence as a regulated betting market is particularly significant given the country’s population of more than 200 million people and its historic passion for soccer. According to reporting from iGaming Business, more than 180 sports betting brands are expected to offer World Cup markets in Brazil, and operators anticipate that wagering volume across the tournament could exceed BRL 19 billion — roughly $3.8 billion. Personalisation of user experience and real-time mobile betting are expected to be key battlegrounds for operators competing for Brazilian customers during the tournament.
In the United States, major sportsbooks including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars are expected to roll out extensive World Cup promotions, boosted odds, and same-game parlay options across all 104 matches. Soccer has been a growing segment of the U.S. sports betting market since the 2022 World Cup, and the tournament’s return to North American soil is expected to accelerate that growth. The U.S. national team’s participation — assuming it qualifies from its group — will be particularly closely watched given its host nation status and the unprecedented domestic audience it is expected to draw.
Key Markets and Betting Angles to Watch
Brazil enters the tournament as one of the favorites, alongside France, Argentina, England, and Spain. Futures markets are already live at major sportsbooks, and those odds will shift dramatically once the group stage begins and early favorites clarify their form. Some of the most popular bet types for soccer include the full-time result market, both teams to score, and player props such as first goal scorer — all of which will be available across every match at leading sportsbooks.
For bettors new to wagering on soccer, the 2026 World Cup represents an ideal entry point given the volume of matches and the broad media coverage that will explain team dynamics, key players, and tournament structure. More experienced bettors will find deep parlay and same-game parlay options across every match, as well as live betting markets that offer real-time wagering during matches. The live betting format is particularly well-suited to soccer, where momentum swings and late-match goals can create significant value for attentive bettors. With major tournaments like this, consulting an annual sports betting calendar helps bettors plan their wagering activity across an extended multi-week competition. The 2026 World Cup final is scheduled for July 19.
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