FIFA World Cup fuels record trading on Kalshi as platform adds 3 million users
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has sparked a surge in activity across prediction markets, helping Kalshi attract millions of new users while generating record trading
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has sparked a surge in activity across prediction markets, helping Kalshi attract millions of new users while generating record trading volumes tied to the tournament's outcome. According to company data cited by CNBC, Kalshi added around 3 million new users during the World Cup, making it one of the platform's biggest growth periods since launch. The excitement surrounding the tournament also drove unprecedented trading activity. More than $1.2 billion has been wagered through Kalshi's prediction contracts on which team would lift the FIFA World Cup trophy, making it the company's largest single prediction market to date. Trading in the contract is scheduled to conclude on Sunday following the final between Spain and Argentina. Also Read | Spain vs Argentina final fuels ₹11,000 crore prediction market on Kalshi To capitalize on the global sporting event, Kalshi rolled out an aggressive marketing campaign aimed at expanding brand awareness.
Among its biggest initiatives was a partnership with ADI Predictstreet, the tournament's official prediction market sponsor, allowing Kalshi to display co-branded inside World Cup stadiums. The company also teamed up with OpenAI last week to integrate Kalshi's contract odds into ChatGPT search results related to World Cup matches, giving users real-time prediction market probabilities while following the tournament. Kalshi further strengthened its visibility by collaborating with several high-profile names from the football world. Promotional campaigns featured Croatian midfielder Luka Modric, legendary former Real Madrid manager José Mourinho, and Argentina's national football team. As part of its partnership with Argentina, the company also gained exposure through an Instagram post from football icon Lionel Messi. Speed has been another key component of Kalshi's marketing strategy. CEO Tarek Mansour said one commercial featuring retired football stars playing an exhibition match was conceived, produced and released within just 24 hours before being published on Friday.
“Our volumes are where the news is at,” said Mansour. “It’s a lot of the approach for the World Cup. … The most important thing is enable creativity based on what’s happening.” Beyond football personalities, Kalshi also enlisted celebrities from outside the sport. The company released an featuring actor Timothée Chalamet in June, when he was drawing attention for his appearances at New York Knicks games during the NBA Finals. Another campaign starring Colombian music artist J Balvin debuted earlier this month. Despite the strong momentum, Kalshi's rapid expansion comes as prediction markets face mounting regulatory scrutiny in the United States. Several states argue that sports-event prediction contracts function similarly to sports betting, an area traditionally regulated by state authorities. Kalshi, however, maintains that prediction markets fall under the jurisdiction of the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which oversees derivatives and swap markets.
The BriefWire