In the United States, the prediction market platform Kalshi has emerged as the only gambling-related brand in the ranking of the top 48 advertising beneficiaries during the early weeks of the 2026 World Cup. This ranking was released by the international analytics firm YouGov.
Analysts compared brand metrics over an 18-day period leading up to the tournament and from June 11 to June 28. Kalshi secured the 37th position with a notable increase in ad recognition by 7.6 percentage points and purchase readiness by 7.4 percentage points among surveyed fans, surpassing the main English-language broadcaster of the tournament, Fox.
Traditional bookmakers and other prediction market platforms, including Polymarket, did not make it to the list of over 2,000 analyzed brands. Kalshi itself denies its affiliation with gambling, positioning its product as a financial exchange under the oversight of the CFTC.
At the end of June, Kalshi also strengthened its presence in the ongoing tournament by entering into a co-branding agreement with ADI Predictstreet, an official FIFA partner in the prediction markets category. This co-branding will feature on LED boards at stadiums, TV broadcasts, and online placements starting from the playoff stage.
Previously, Kalshi declined a full sponsorship deal with FIFA worth $150 million, as reported by Bloomberg. Leading the YouGov ranking were coffee brand Café Bustelo, Pepsi, and McCafé, with Pepsi surpassing FIFA partner Coca-Cola, which ranked 5th, despite not having an official status.