The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins Thursday in Mexico and Friday in Canada and the United States, marking the second time the U.S. has hosted the tournament. Mexico becomes the first nation to host three times (1970, 1986, 2026), while Canada debuts as a host. The expanded competition features 48 teams—up from 32 in 2022—and 104 matches, compared with 64 in Qatar.
For financial advisors, the tournament may present opportunities in gambling-related equities, according to Chad Beynon, senior gaming, lodging, and theatres analyst at Macquarie. In a recent note, Beynon identified Flutter Entertainment plc (ticker: FLUT), parent of FanDuel; DraftKings Inc. (ticker: DKNG); Rush Street Interactive Inc. (ticker: RSI); and Super Group Ltd. (ticker: SGHC) as potential beneficiaries. He noted that 88% of Super Group's 2025 global revenue came from countries participating in the World Cup.
The tournament's expanded format and strong representation from key betting markets in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and North America should drive record global wagering activity, Beynon wrote. Global wagers on the 2022 World Cup exceeded $35 billion, and Macquarie projects that figure could surpass $50 billion for 2026, with upside from parlays and prop bets on individual players.
From a U.S. perspective, this is the first World Cup with broad national participation and improved betting products, including same-game parlays and live betting. "Given relatively low baseline soccer engagement within their existing customer bases (unlike international markets), the tournament has the potential to introduce new behaviors and incremental wagering, further supported by North America hosting, favorable time zones, and improved product depth," Beynon said.
Stock performance reflects this optimism. Over the past month, Flutter shares rose 11.6%, DraftKings gained 12.8%, Rush Street Interactive climbed 3.9%, and Super Group advanced 4.9%. In contrast, the S&P 500 index declined 1.8% during the same period.
Advisors may also consider broader market trends. As prediction market volume surged to $60 billion in 2025, some advisors have warned about blurred lines between investing and gambling. Meanwhile, wealth managers are using the summer lull to refine operations and prepare for Q4.
The tournament opens Thursday with Mexico facing South Africa at Mexico City's Estadio Banorte (formerly Azteca Stadium). Canada plays Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto on Friday, while the U.S. meets Paraguay in Los Angeles. The final is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
