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The FIFA World Cup is generally believed to be the most powerful sporting event in the world. It commonly outranks even the Olympic Games as far as audience reach, media visibility, and financial consequences are concerned. For sports betting, however, the World Cup is the single most important driver of wagering globally. At the upcoming 2026 event, market analysts believe it will eclipse the record numbers set in 2022 Qatar.
Betting Records Set in Qatar 2022
A study by British multinational bank Barclays estimated that the 2022 Qatar World Cup generated US$35 billion in global sports betting turnover. This total reflected a 65% increase compared to the 2018 Russia World Cup, very clearly showing an upward trend in wagering volume tied to the tournament.
The growth seen between 2018 and 2022 has led analysts to forecast much stronger numbers in 2026. This shall be further accelerated by structural changes within the key markets, expanded digital access, and normalizing regulated betting in several major economies.
Brazil’s increasing role in the global betting arena
Perhaps the most important development in advance of the 2026 World Cup is the emergence of Brazil as a significant regulated betting market. According to Betlaw data, a company specializing in advisory and management in the betting industry, around 10% of the global betting volume linked to the 2026 World Cup will be concentrated in Brazil, approximately equivalent to R$19 billion.
Brazil is now the fifth-biggest betting market in the world based on revenue, behind only the US, the UK, Russia, and Italy. Remarkably, 2025 was the first full year that included a regulated betting regime in the country, which allowed Brazil to enter the global rankings compiled by Regulus Partners for the first time.
This regulatory milestone has positioned Brazil as a leading component in providing liquidity for sports betting globally before big sporting events internationally.
What to Expect from Brazilian Operators, Beyond 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026, jointly hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. For operators in Brazil’s newly regulated market, the tournament is seen as a strategic time for continued growth rather than any short-term highs.
Marco Túlio, CEO at Ana Gaming, the group behind brands such as 7K, Cassino, and Vera, focused on the particular social and cultural impact of the World Cup. As he explained, the championship has among its public not only hardcore fans but also casual viewers who don’t normally follow the sport closely.
He observed that, from a social point of view, this event tends to make watching a World Cup match an activity shared among both families and friends; therefore, overall audience engagement with various forms of entertainment, including betting, increases. Precisely due to these reasons, the volume of bets placed during this tournament turns out to be higher in comparison with the usual sports calendar.
A Key Driver for Growth
The experts also argue that this volume growth is due in part to regulatory expansion, from a legal and structural point of view. According to Pietro Cardia Lorenzoni, Legal Director of the ANJL of Brazil and partner at Betlaw, there is progressive evolution when it comes to the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.
The turning point came in 2018 with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to send regulation of sports betting to states, greatly expanding legal betting markets going into the Qatar World Cup. Lorenzoni believes that, given Brazil’s population size, football culture, and digital adoption, the global landscape will be influenced similarly now by the country’s regulation.
With the expanded format of the World Cup, more widespread geographic hosting, and stronger regulated markets, a 2026 tournament is widely expected to set a new global benchmark for sports betting. Should projections hold, beating the US$35 billion wagered in 2022 will show not only increased demand but, more importantly, greater maturity, transparency, and international integration into the betting ecosystem.
Source: iGaming Brasil
