The final countdown is in full swing until the greatest show in football gets underway. The FIFA World Cup 2026 is just weeks away and with excitement amongst football fans sky high, the hard work and final preparations are being made by sportsbook operators all around the world.
But while betting volume is expected to be at an all-time high in regulated markets, there are still several challenges and great unknowns that will impact operators throughout the tournament.
To help dissect these challenges and outline how to overcome them to enjoy a fruitful and meaningful World Cup, FIRST’s Chief Trading Officer Ivan Ivanov sits down with SBC News and shares his experience.
How will the expanded World Cup change betting habits?
The 2026 World Cup will be a first of its kind in several ways. It is spread over three nations and an entire continent for the first time and it is the first time that 48 teams will play in the tournament.
Ostensibly, more games – this time 104 – would mean more opportunities to bet. Yet, there are concerns that it could result in more uncompetitive games early on in the tournament.
More games also mean more strain on sportsbook platforms.
Ivanov notes: “It is clearly an opportunity, but only for operators prepared to handle the scale. With 104 matches across 39 days, the tournament effectively creates a sustained peak traffic environment rather than a series of isolated spikes.
“The real challenge is operational. Platforms need to perform consistently across multiple match windows, time zones and player segments. Operators that are ready for that intensity will benefit from a larger and more diverse audience entering the sportsbook.”
Another challenge posed by this World Cup is that with more teams than ever, some of those teams come as unknown quantities. While the purists might be excited to see Abdukodir Khusanov’s Uzbekistan make its debut in the World Cup, or to see one of iGaming’s favourite islands Curaçao make its World Cup bow, pricing up these teams may be a tough ask.
“New teams introduce more uncertainty into pricing models, particularly early in the tournament when reliable historical data is limited,” Ivanov said.
“The key is maintaining market depth and confidence in pricing even when information is thinner. Operators cannot reduce coverage simply because the teams are less familiar. Strong trading infrastructure, supported by automated models and experienced traders, becomes essential to keep markets competitive while managing risk.”
How can operators prepare with just a few weeks to go?
Frankly, operators who are only just beginning to put their World Cup plans together are already far behind the pack. With fewer than 90 days to go until the tournament kicks off in Mexico City, operators should be putting the final preparations and details together before the action gets underway.
This is something that FIRST is working hard on with its client base. With many global clients and over 30 in Brazil alone, there is much work to be done, and Ivanov explained that ensuring platform stability is essential.
“Operators need to simulate peak traffic conditions and ensure their platforms perform smoothly during the busiest match windows.
“Fast settlement of markets is also crucial. Players expect immediate confirmation of outcomes, so operators should ensure their settlement processes are quick and reliable to maintain trust and keep engagement high during the tournament.”
If there is any category of operator that might be behind the rest on World Cup prep, it is smaller operators. Smaller brands have fewer resources, lower budgets and more pressure.
In a world where tax is high and budgets are being squeezed, smaller brands must be more agile and lean into their local clientele. Ivanov noted that for these operators, localisation is an absolute necessity.
“A fast platform, strong local market coverage and personalised engagement can be far more powerful than simply offering the largest number of markets. With the right technology partner, smaller teams can compete effectively without needing the same scale of internal trading operations,” he said.
If those operators cannot impose a proper strategy that stands out from the big tier-one operators in certain markets, underwhelming results are inevitable.
“The biggest risk is wasted traffic,” Ivanov added. “World Cups drive huge spikes in registrations, but without a strong product experience those players disappear quickly after their first few bets.
“There is also a perception risk. During major tournaments players compare multiple sportsbooks. If one platform feels slower or less engaging, that difference becomes very visible.”
FIRST’s solutions help operators retain players
The World Cup is of course a massive player acquisition opportunity. There are thousands, if not millions of bettors who will have a flutter on the World Cup who do not usually bet on football. The summer provides a great opportunity to get those into the ecosystem.
But acquisition without a concrete retention strategy is just an expensive vanity project. If those bettors wager $10 in 39 days then never come back, was the $30 in bonus bets worth it?
“Retention needs to start from the first interaction,” Ivanov explained. “If engagement only happens during headline matches, players lose interest between games.
“Operators should think about continuous interaction across the entire tournament. Personalised missions, content-driven mechanics and dynamic journeys keep players returning even when their team is not playing. The goal is to turn a tournament moment into a long-term habit.”
FIRST’s solutions were designed to handle the scale and complexity of a World Cup. Indeed it has been building up to this moment. The infrastructure of its sportsbook was built, its CTO said, to handle the sustained peak traffic of a World Cup – all while being able to deliver fast markets and in-play betting experiences.
“SportOS gives operators the flexibility to run their sportsbook in the way that suits their strategy. On top of that, engagement layers such as SnapBet and GMFY help keep players active between matches through content, missions and personalised journeys.
“Together, that combination allows operators to turn 39 days of football into long-term engagement.”
