The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to become the biggest betting event in sporting history, with more than US$50 billion ($76 billion AUD) expected to be wagered globally across the tournament.
Financial services firm Macquarie estimates around US$500 million will be bet on each match, eclipsing the estimated US$35 billion wagered during the Qatar 2022 World Cup. The jump is driven by the tournament’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams and from 64 to 104 matches, alongside the rapid growth of legal sports betting markets in North America.
While much of the attention has focused on the sheer scale of betting turnover, the figures also underline football’s commercial importance to Australia’s wagering industry.
The World Cup has long been one of the country’s biggest betting events, sitting alongside the Melbourne Cup, AFL Grand Final and State of Origin. With Australia qualifying once again and attracting strong national interest, bookmakers have invested heavily in marketing campaigns designed around football’s month-long global spectacle.
TAB recently launched its nationwide “The Cup at TAB” campaign, positioning venues across Australia as communal destinations to watch World Cup matches, backed by research suggesting 61% of Australians prefer experiencing the tournament with others.
Sportsbet has also rolled out a major World Cup advertising campaign built around football’s global appeal, highlighting just how commercially valuable the tournament has become for Australia’s betting operators.
What about Australian Football?
Unlike Europe’s major leagues, Australian football still relies heavily on sponsorship and broadcast revenue to grow participation, develop professional competitions and improve fan engagement. The increased commercial attention generated during a World Cup inevitably benefits broadcasters, venues, hospitality businesses and wagering companies looking to capitalise on football’s largest audience.
SBS has introduced in-game advertising during FIFA’s mandated hydration breaks for the first time at a World Cup, creating additional commercial inventory during live broadcasts while maintaining uninterrupted match coverage.
Yet football’s commercial success arrives amid mounting political pressure over gambling advertising.
The Albanese Government has proposed significant restrictions on gambling promotions, including banning betting advertisements during most live sport before 8.30pm, prohibiting gambling branding at sporting venues and preventing athletes and celebrities from promoting wagering products. While described as Australia’s biggest gambling advertising reforms to date, critics argue the measures still leave significant loopholes.
What does it mean for football?
As betting companies spend millions attaching themselves to the World Cup, gambling harm advocates argue football’s biggest event also becomes one of the industry’s most effective customer acquisition tools.
Macquarie analysts have warned bookmakers face an additional challenge beyond simply attracting World Cup punters. The industry’s long-term profitability depends on converting casual tournament bettors into year-round customers across football, racing and other sports, as well as higher-margin casino products.
That concern has been repeated by gambling reform organisations, which argue global football tournaments expose younger audiences and first-time bettors to increasingly sophisticated wagering products.
For Australian football administrators, the issue reflects a broader commercial balancing act.
The sport continues to chase greater investment to compete with the AFL and NRL for fans, sponsors and media attention. World Cups generate unprecedented engagement, creating opportunities for broadcasters, pubs, clubs, hospitality operators and betting companies alike.
However, as governments tighten gambling regulations and public scrutiny intensifies, football’s commercial ecosystem may also need to evolve. The 2026 World Cup demonstrates football’s extraordinary economic power beyond ticket sales and broadcasting rights. Billions of dollars will flow through betting markets over the next month, reinforcing football as one of the world’s most commercially valuable sports.
For Australia, the challenge is ensuring that the business generated by football strengthens the game itself, rather than simply enriching industries that surround it.
