Insights into how fans will watch, bet and engage during the 2026 World Cup.
2026 WORLD CUP BETTING OUTLOOK
The 2026 World Cup will be the largest ever, with 48 teams, 104 matches and a 39-day schedule. Excitement is near universal, with 96% planning to watch. LATAM respondents lead on excitement - 91% expect to feel highly excited, followed by 73% in the UK and 61% in the US.
Excitement is high ahead of the biggest World Cup ever.
not excited
4%
somewhat excited
21%
very / extremely excited
75%
GLOBAL Excitement level
91%
Regional Excitement
73%
61%
LATAM
UK
US
plan to stay engaged all 39 days
86%
Ongoing engagement
INTRODUCTION
A record share of fans will bet, many for the first time.
of fans plan to bet on the 2026 World Cup
70%
first-time World Cup bettors
66%
first-time US bettors
90%
first-ever football bettors
19%
The expanded 2026 format is overwhelmingly well-received, and fans expect to stay engaged throughout the tournament. However, unusual kick-off times - especially for European audiences - are set to shift behaviour, driving more pre-match betting and changing how and when fans choose to watch.
Fans welcome the expanded format. However, kick-off times will shift behaviour.
44%
%
feel positive about the expanded 48-team, 104-match World Cup format
Support for format expansion
Engagement across 39 days
plan to stay engaged across the full tournament
Impact of unusual kick-off times IN EUROPE
of UK fans will watch matches at unusual hours
say unusual kick-off times will lead to more pre-match betting
72%
93
Low-confidence bettors rely heavily on expert information and trusted analysis.
of fans enter the World Cup with limited confidence in their betting knowledge
50
say expert analysis boosts their confidence
want trusted pundit previews
55%
want in-depth match preview
want detailed player & team stats
41%
of US fans want simple, easy-to-understand odds
46%
As a result, they lean heavily on expert insights: from expert analysis to detailed player and team stats.
97% say live updates are important 68% say they are very or extremely important LATAM fans place the highest value Frequent bettors are most dependent at 78%
Sports news websites are most trusted, at 96% Betting platforms are trusted by 91% Friends and online groups by 94% AI prediction tools by 86% Social media is least trusted, with 21% not trusting it at all
More than 50% use social media 43% use sports news websites 35% use betting platforms or apps Only 7% do not seek information at all UK fans use odds comparison sites most frequently at 28%
Fans predominantly use social platforms to spark betting ideas, however, they rely on trusted publishers and BETTING platforms to validate those ideas before placing a bet.
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AI tool adoption increases sharply with betting frequency, from 9% among casual bettors to 42% of weekly bettors.
Where fans look for World Cup betting information
Trust varies significantly between sources
Live data matters
use betting platforms or apps
35%
Where Fans Discover Bets
Where Fans Validate Bets
use social media
50%
use sports news websites
43%
UK uses odds comparison sites most
28%
trust AI prediction tools
trust betting platforms
trust friends/online groups
94%
trust sports news websites
96%
Social media is least trusted, with 21% not trusting it at all
Two key forces will shape World Cup betting: personalisation and social influence.
find personalised betting content appealing
bet when watching with others
92%
place more bets when they see others win
62%
National Loyalty
personalisation
Social Influence
Fans want simple, tailored, and trusted information that boosts confidence and suits their level of understanding.
bet on their country out of loyalty
Fans need personalised, easy-to-understand content to feel confident and social environments strongly influence when and how they bet.
Key opportunities to enhance product, content, and customer experience during the 2026 World Cup.
Clear explanations and intuitive product pathways will be essential.
Close the confidence gap with simple, trusted guidance
1
2
Predictions, previews and bet builder suggestions will be increasingly important.
Support pre-match decision making at unusual kick- off times
3
Trusted guidance is a cornerstone of the user journey.
Provide expert-driven insights throughout the tournament
Fans want a single hub for stats, analysis, recommendations and live updates.
Deliver personalised, real-time data experiences
4
Shared slips, group interactions and community features matter.
Reflect social behaviours responsibly
5
Spotlight Sports Group’s World Cup Hub solution brings these priorities together in one ready-to-deploy iFrame; combining expert analysis, personalised insights, live data and pre-match guidance to support bettors throughout the entire tournament.
CONCLUSION
The 2026 World Cup will create unprecedented global betting engagement - driven by a surge of new bettors, shifting viewing patterns and rising demand for trusted, personalised information. Spotlight Sports Group’s World Cup Hub has been designed specifically to meet these needs - providing confidence-building content, personalised insights, expert-driven previews and seamless pre-match and in-play support through a single turnkey solution. Operators who invest early will be best positioned to capture engagement and unlock growth across the full 39-day tournament. Use the contact form on the right to speak with our team, or click below to explore the World Cup Hub solution further.
Learn more about our World Cup Hub
Methodology
The survey, commissioned by Spotlight Sports Group, captures the views of 600 sports fans across the UK, USA, and LATAM. Data was gathered in November 2025.
GENDER
REGIONS
AGE
male
female
45%
33%
USA
1%
8%
31%
7%
18-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
