WORLD CUP 2026
generate meaningful and increased wagering activity in the US market. The World Cup’s match schedule provides a more continuous and predictable stream of betting inventory than the Olympic Games at times when US consumers are able to attend. Equally significant is the issue of geographic proximity. The Paris Olympics required US bettors to engage primarily as remote spectators. The 2026 World Cup will have a domestic footprint that is likely to amplify engagement and combines the global appeal of an international tournament with the localized commercial and regulatory dynamics of a domestic sporting event. Team USA is expected to field a competitive squad that, on paper at least, should advance to at least the knockout stages. 25 The combination of eleven domestic host cities and an exciting team should propel US sports betting operators to significantly above average sports wagering handle this summer. Soccer’s dominance in global betting markets Across much of the world, soccer is not simply the most popular sport, it also serves as the foundation of the global sports betting industry. In 2024, soccer betting was forecast to generate approximately US$53 billion in GGR, accounting for more than 56 percent of total regulated sports betting gross win worldwide. 26 This dominance is most visible in Europe and South America, where domestic leagues operate year-round, and international competitions keep soccer at the center of the betting calendar. That concentration becomes even clearer when viewed regionally. Europe and Asia together are projected to account for approximately 85 percent of global soccer betting GGR, and in several international markets, soccer accounts for well over half of all sports betting gross win. 27 In these jurisdictions, soccer is not a seasonal product or an occasional betting
opportunity, it is the default wagering option.
The United States tells a different story. Sports betting activity in the US remains spread across the major sports leagues. Aggregated state-level data drawn from a cross-section of US jurisdictions show that American football and basketball, across both professional and collegiate competitions, have alternated as the largest contributors to sports betting handle over the past two years. 28 The US market remains anchored to its domestic leagues, with North America expected to generate US$5.4 billion in basketball GGR by 2028 and to lead global basketball betting growth. 29 It is against this backdrop that the 2026 FIFA World Cup enters the US market. The intersection is especially apparent in New Jersey, one of the nation’s most mature sports wagering jurisdictions. New Jersey is scheduled to host eight World Cup matches, including the Final, placing the centerpiece of the tournament within a state where football and basketball have dominated wagering activity every year since legal sports betting launched in late 2018. 30 The World Cup will test whether soccer can compete with the sports New Jersey bettors wager on most. This contrast highlights the broader significance of the 2026 tournament. Internationally, the World Cup aligns with established betting behavior centered on soccer. In the United States, it arrives in a market shaped by different sports preferences, different seasonal dynamics, and different wagering habits. How regulated operators respond to that moment through product offerings, market access, and competitive positioning may determine whether the World Cup produces a short-term surge or a lasting shift in US sports wagering behavior. Potential sports wagering handle disruptions Despite things looking very positive for legalized US sports
25 https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/47212401/2026-world-cup-draw-how-us-matches-group-stage-foes-paraguay-australia-turkiye-ro- mania-slovakia-kosovo
26 https://h2gc.com/site/assets/News%20Stories/IBIA-Report-2024_FINAL-TEXT_SINGLE_AW.pdf 27 https://h2gc.com/site/assets/News%20Stories/IBIA-Report-2024_FINAL-TEXT_SINGLE_AW.pdf 28 AGA State data spreadsheet 29 https://h2gc.com/site/assets/News%20Stories/IBIA-Report-2024_FINAL-TEXT_SINGLE_AW.pdf 30 AGA State data spreadsheet
IMGL MAGAZINE | MARCH 2026
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