FIFA has approved a record $871 million prize pool for the 2026 World Cup, the largest in the tournament's history. The announcement comes as prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket collectively processed over $50 billion in trading volume during June, signaling a surge in event-based betting.
What the prize money covers
The $871 million figure includes payments to the 48 participating teams, player bonuses, and compensation for clubs that release players. FIFA's council approved the sum during a meeting in Zurich, though the exact distribution among teams has not been finalized. The 2026 tournament, to be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will be the first to feature 48 teams, up from 32 in previous editions.
Prediction market growth
Kalshi and Polymarket, two of the largest regulated prediction platforms, reported combined trading volume exceeding $50 billion in June. The figure marks a sharp increase from earlier months, driven by bets on political events, sports outcomes, and economic indicators. Kalshi, which operates under U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight, and Polymarket, a decentralized platform, have both seen user numbers climb as retail traders seek alternative ways to speculate on real-world events.
The $50 billion volume is a milestone for an industry that has faced regulatory scrutiny in the past. Both platforms have worked to comply with U.S. laws, with Kalshi offering only CFTC-approved contracts and Polymarket restricting access to non-U.S. users after a 2022 settlement with the agency.
Neither FIFA nor the prediction market operators have commented on any direct link between the World Cup prize pool and the trading surge. But the two numbers — one from the world's biggest sporting event, the other from a fast-growing corner of finance — highlight the expanding scale of money flowing into sports and speculation.
