⚽ The excitement of watching matches is sweeping in! How to seize opportunities in the 'event econom

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Battle for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico! Comprehensive Analysis of Seven Investment Themes and Key Hong Kong & U.S. Equity Plays

The summer of 2026 will undoubtedly belong to football. As the countdown to the U.S.-Canada-Mexico World Cup approaches zero, the globe will enter a 39-day 'football season.' This tournament is not only the largest World Cup in history—featuring 104 matches and 48 teams—but also an unprecedented commercial spectacle.

FIFA and related institutions forecast that the event’s total cross-channel audience could exceed 6 billion views. Deutsche Bank notes that because this tournament is being held in North American time zones and features a significantly extended schedule, participating companies will enjoy substantially higher commercial exposure compared to previous editions.

From pre-tournament fan betting and sports merchandise production, to in-tournament media broadcasting rights and concentrated brand advertising, followed by offline match-viewing gatherings with food and beverage consumption and cross-border travel and accommodation for fans, all the way through to omnichannel payment and settlement services—seven distinct investment themes emerge.

This article synthesizes research reports from Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and other major global investment banks, along with publicly available information, to provide a comprehensive overview ofsports betting, athletic apparel, advertising and media, travel, offline consumption, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and paymentsthe seven key investment themes and their associated Hong Kong and U.S.-listed equities.

1. Sports Betting / Prediction Markets: Tournament Traffic Fuels Betting Activity, Driving Dual Growth in Transaction Fees and User Base

The surge in global fan attention directly stimulates demand for legal sports betting and sports prediction contracts. On one hand, a large number of new casual bettors are entering the market, significantly expanding platform active user numbers; on the other, both betting frequency per user and average transaction size are rising, boosting platform commission and fee income accordingly.

Macquarie Securities’ latest research report forecasts that global betting turnover for the 2026 World Cup could surpass USD 50 billion. With the share of U.S. states that have legalized sports betting now reaching 65%, the market’s ceiling has been completely lifted.

– $Robinhood (HOOD.US)$：The core thesis lies in 'prediction markets.' As an emerging brokerage, HOOD has been actively expanding its prediction contract offerings, and the heightened attention surrounding the World Cup is expected to drive up trading volume and fee revenue from these contracts.

–$Coinbase (COIN.US)$：COIN completed its acquisition of prediction market firm The Clearing by the end of 2025, bringing 'event prediction' into the compliant crypto ecosystem, with the World Cup serving as the ideal showcase for this new business.

– $DraftKings (DKNG.US)$：As one of North America’s leading sports betting operators, Morgan Stanley has raised its Q2 wagering growth forecast to approximately 8% due to the World Cup. Deutsche Bank has also identified it as a key beneficiary of elevated trading volumes during the tournament.

– $Flutter Entertainment (FLUT.US)$：The parent company of FanDuel holds the top market share in U.S. sports betting. Macquarie considers it the most certain beneficiary of the global surge in betting demand, given its deep presence in both Europe and North America.

– $MGM Resorts International (MGM.US)$：MGM Resorts is explicitly recommended by Goldman Sachs as a World Cup beneficiary among gaming operators, with synergies between its physical casino services and online betting operations.

II. Sports Apparel Sector: Dual Drivers of Brand Exposure and End-Consumer Demand

The global football spectacle delivers two core benefits: First, national teams and official tournament sponsors gain high-frequency global exposure, enhancing long-term brand equity and driving year-round sales across apparel and footwear categories. Second, short-term demand surges for jerseys, fan commemorative T-shirts, training gear, and casual match-day footwear, resulting in strong order volumes for upstream contract manufacturers and significantly increased foot traffic at brick-and-mortar retail outlets. Hong Kong-listed sportswear OEMs, U.S.-listed athletic brands, and outdoor retailers all benefit simultaneously from this event-driven tailwind.

– $Nike (NKE.US)$ Globally sponsors multiple World Cup-contending national teams and leads the industry in football-category market share. During the tournament cycle, its stores worldwide intensively stock national team jerseys and football training equipment, creating strong sales catalysts at the retail level.

– $adidas AG (ADDYY.US)$ The longest-standing official FIFA equipment supplier, exclusively providing match balls, full referee kits, and official licensed merchandise. It enjoys unmatched brand visibility throughout the entire tournament, with exclusive supply rights to official fan gear generating stable incremental revenue.

– $Deckers Outdoor (DECK.US)$ Its Hoka brand of casual outdoor footwear aligns well with fan travel and in-stadium viewing fashion needs. The tournament boosts demand for casual footwear, driving a temporary uptick in sales for its leisure-sports product lines.

– $Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS.US)$ The largest domestic sporting goods retail chain in the U.S., with stores fully stocked with World Cup jerseys, flags, and fan merchandise, directly capturing mass consumer demand and achieving significant per-store sales increases.

– $Ralph Lauren (RL.US)$ : Sporting events are driving demand for casual match-day apparel, with simple and relaxed sportswear fitting well into offline game-watching outfits.

– $Gildan Activewear (GIL.US)$ : A core manufacturer of basic blank T-shirts and sportswear, handling massive contract manufacturing orders for fan merchandise featuring event logos and team emblems.

– $ANTA SPORTS (02020.HK)$ : Owns Puma, granting access to top-tier football event sponsorship rights, as well as partnerships with elite clubs such as Manchester City and AC Milan.

– $SHENZHOU INTL (02313.HK)$ : A global core apparel contract manufacturer for Nike and Adidas.

– $YUE YUEN IND (00551.HK)$ : The world's leading athletic footwear OEM, securing production orders for both professional football boots and casual match-viewing sneakers tied to the World Cup.

III. Advertising & Media Segment: Exclusive broadcasting rights elevate ad pricing, prompting a revaluation of streaming media traffic value

As a premier global IP, World Cup advertising inventory becomes 'hard currency.' Deutsche Bank expects this tournament to generate the highest-ever U.S. ad revenue in event history, thanks to match times perfectly aligning with North American prime time. U.S.-listed streaming platforms, traditional broadcasters, and Hong Kong-listed telecom broadcast partners will all benefit simultaneously.

– Fox ( $Fox Corp-A (FOXA.US)$/ $Fox Corp-B (FOX.US)$)：The most direct beneficiary. FOX Sports holds exclusive English-language U.S. broadcast rights and will air all 104 matches—this is the biggest driver behind FOX’s anticipated second-half earnings outperformance.

– $Comcast (CMCSA.US)$ : Its Telemundo network holds Spanish-language broadcast rights and serves a large Hispanic audience base in the U.S., resulting in significant incremental advertising revenue.

– Google ( $Alphabet-A (GOOGL.US)$/ $Alphabet-C (GOOG.US)$)：YouTube has secured rights to distribute short-form match clips, and Google has also sponsored ITV's World Cup coverage in the UK.

– $Disney (DIS.US)$：Its subsidiaries ESPN and ABC are long-standing core platforms for football broadcasting. Although some broadcast rights reside with FOX, analysis programs and ancillary content around the tournament will enhance viewer engagement and retention.

– $Roku Inc (ROKU.US)$：As a streaming aggregation platform, Roku Channel has integrated Fox Sports’ streaming service. While Roku does not directly purchase broadcast rights, the growing trend of 'cord-cutters' watching matches via Roku will increase the value of its advertising inventory.

– $PCCW (00008.HK)$ / $HKT-SS (06823.HK)$：Hong Kong’s exclusive broadcasters, Now TV and ViuTV, will directly benefit from subscriber and advertising revenue driven by the local audience base.

– $CHINA MOBILE (00941.HK)$ ：Its subsidiary Migu has become an official rights-holding broadcaster. Leveraging China’s vast 5G user base, Migu Video is poised for a surge in new subscribers and advertising revenue.

IV. Travel Sector: Global fans traveling internationally to attend matches drive spikes in accommodation and airline bookings

This World Cup spans the North American continent, requiring fans to travel frequently between cities to attend matches, creating three layers of consumption upside: First, online travel booking platforms see surging demand for match-day packages and hotel reservations; second, airlines add new intercontinental and short-haul routes catering to fans, driving up both load factors and ticket prices; third, cruise lines and specialty tourism operators launch World Cup-themed travel products, opening new market opportunities. Goldman Sachs identifies the lodging and airline sectors as notably benefiting from this trend.

– $Booking Holdings (BKNG.US)$、$Expedia (EXPE.US)$、$Airbnb (ABNB.US)$Goldman Sachs highlighted three leading accommodation booking platforms in its research report, noting their ample inventory of hotels and short-term rentals in host cities across Europe and North America. Booking demand from fans has surged months in advance of matches, significantly boosting platform commission revenue.

– $Royal Caribbean (RCL.US)$Official travel partner of Miami, a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, offering bundled cruise-and-match packages that cater to overseas fans’ all-in-one matchday vacation needs through cruise-based experiences.

– $Trip.com (TCOM.US)$Asia’s leading outbound travel operator, launching integrated travel packages—combining flights, hotels, and match tickets—for markets in China and Southeast Asia, unlocking incremental travel demand from Asian football fans.

– $Delta Air Lines (DAL.US)$ 、 $United Airlines (UAL.US)$、$American Airlines (AAL.US)$ Goldman Sachs’ core recommendation includes three major North American airlines that have launched multiple new intercontinental routes specifically for the tournament. Passenger traffic is surging during the event period, driving simultaneous increases in ticket prices and load factors, resulting in strong revenue elasticity.

– $Southwest Airlines (LUV.US)$Adding new short-haul routes connecting World Cup host cities to accommodate intra-U.S. fan travel and fill the gap in regional transportation demand.

– $Ryanair (RYAAY.US)$A leading European low-cost carrier, operating routes linking various European countries to host cities. Load factors are rising rapidly during the tournament, leading to a marked improvement in single-quarter revenue.

– $LATAM Airlines Group (LTM.US)$Deeply entrenched in Latin American markets, capturing strong cross-border demand from passionate South American fans traveling to the U.S. for matches. Regional route demand remains robust, offering unique geographic advantages.

V. Offline Consumption Sector: Matchday gatherings drive increased hotel occupancy and foot traffic at chain restaurants

Group match viewing and out-of-town travel create two key sources of demand: first, hotel occupancy rates and room prices in host cities are rising in tandem, significantly improving RevPAR for hotel operators; second, both home and pub-based viewing are boosting foot traffic at chain fast-food outlets, pizzerias, casual dining spots, and sports bars, with average transaction value and table turnover rates rising concurrently during the tournament. Both Zacks and RBC have published special reports expressing bullish views on the hotel and restaurant sectors.

–$Marriott International (MAR.US)$ 、 $Hilton Worldwide (HLT.US)$ 、 $InterContinental Hotels (IHG.US)$ 、 $Hyatt Hotels (H.US)$ 、 $H World Group (HTHT.US)$ Marriott is the official hotel partner of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America; IHG, Hilton, and Hyatt maintain substantial existing property footprints across host cities. Demand from out-of-town fans is driving up occupancy and room rates. Zacks explicitly noted that the tournament will significantly enhance the earnings resilience of the hotel industry and lift full-year operational outlooks.

– $McDonald's (MCD.US)$ : Long-standing official FIFA World Cup partner. RBC research estimates that during the tournament period, foot traffic at U.S. physical stores and food delivery orders will rise in tandem, leading to a significant year-over-year increase in revenue.

– $Domino's Pizza (DPZ.US)$ 、 $Yum! Brands (YUM.US)$ : Essential food items for home viewing scenarios; concentrated surges in takeout demand during match times have significantly boosted pizza and fried chicken delivery orders.

– $Restaurant Brands International (QSR.US)$ 、 $Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG.US)$ : Burger and casual dining outlets are heavily concentrated in core commercial districts of host cities, aligning well with fan group dining occasions; RBC has listed $Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG.US)$ as a key beneficiary of offline World Cup consumption, with clear upside in store foot traffic.

– $Texas Roadhouse (TXRH.US)$ : American-style chain pub with locations predominantly along major suburban thoroughfares, equipped with large-screen live broadcasts—making it a primary venue for fans to gather and watch matches together offline.

6. Beverages Sector: Nighttime viewing drives terminal sales of beer and soft drinks

Viewing parties have sharply increased demand for beer and soft drinks. Goldman Sachs emphasized repeatedly in its March and June reports that brewers will be the biggest beneficiaries of this World Cup.

– $Anheuser-Busch Inbev (BUD.US)$、 $Ambev SA (ABEV.US)$ : BUD has been an official World Cup sponsor for four consecutive decades. During the tournament, it executes intensive global channel distribution, delivering the highest sales elasticity across the entire sector; ABEV, Budweiser’s Latin American subsidiary, has deep coverage in core South American fan markets.

– $Constellation Brands (STZ.US)$ : Goldman Sachs explicitly identified it as a core beneficiary in the World Cup beer segment, with overseas pub channels significantly increasing inventory levels.

– $Coca-Cola (KO.US)$ 、 $PepsiCo (PEP.US)$ : Goldman Sachs designates Coca-Cola as a core beneficiary in the soft drink segment; Pepsi, as a Tier 2 official World Cup sponsor, benefits from comprehensive product placement across supermarkets, restaurants, and stadiums, driving beverage sales upward.

– $BUD APAC (01876.HK)$ 、 $CHINA RES BEER (00291.HK)$、 $Tsingtao Brewery (600600.SH)$ Budweiser APAC benefits from the marketing upside of major sporting events in Asia; China Resources Beer and Tsingtao Brewery leverage their strong presence in domestic offline pubs and supermarket channels to capture beer consumption demand from local football fans, demonstrating significant advantages in local distribution barriers.

7. Payments Sector: Comprehensive cross-border settlement across all World Cup-related scenarios drives expansion in transaction volumes.

The World Cup spans a full range of consumption scenarios—including in-stadium spending, cross-border travel by fans, offline dining and accommodation, and online purchases of merchandise—necessitating a unified cross-border payment service provider.

– $Visa (V.US)$ Visa is FIFA’s exclusive global financial services partner and the sole official payment provider for this World Cup. All in-stadium transactions, cross-border card payments by fans traveling abroad, and both online and offline purchases of event-related merchandise support Visa settlements, granting Visa an exclusive monopoly across global event payment scenarios and ensuring a predictable increase in transaction volume.

Summary

The summer of 2026 will be not only a stage for athletes’ competition but also a catalyst for listed companies’ earnings. From betting turnover and premium advertising slots to intercity tourism surges and beer-fueled celebrations, seven key investment themes form a complete 'World Cup industry chain.' Some companies benefit from exclusive official sponsorships, media rights, or distribution channels, securing predictable gains; others capitalize on broader industry traffic surges to achieve earnings elasticity.

It’s another World Cup year—fellow investors, which investment theme are you most bullish on?

Note:

Selection criteria for the Betting/Prediction Markets segment include U.S.-listed betting and prediction market stocks related to the global football tournament with a market capitalization exceeding USD 10 billion. For the Sports Apparel segment, criteria include U.S.-listed sports, apparel manufacturing, and specialty retail stocks tied to the tournament with market caps above USD 10 billion, as well as Hong Kong-listed sports apparel and footwear stocks linked to the event with market caps exceeding HKD 10 billion. The Advertising & Media segment includes U.S.-listed streaming and entertainment stocks associated with the tournament and valued above USD 10 billion, plus Hong Kong-listed telecom services stocks connected to the event with market caps over HKD 10 billion. The Travel segment comprises U.S.-listed travel services and airline stocks related to the tournament with market capitalizations above USD 10 billion. The Offline Consumption segment covers U.S.-listed lodging and restaurant stocks tied to the event with market caps exceeding USD 10 billion. The Beverages segment includes Hong Kong-listed beer stocks with market caps above HKD 10 billion, U.S.-listed beer stocks with market caps above USD 10 billion, and the top two U.S.-listed non-alcoholic beverage stocks by market cap. The Payments segment consists of the top U.S.-listed credit/payments stock by market cap that is associated with the global football tournament.

Risk Warning:

This content does not constitute any offer, solicitation, recommendation, opinion, or guarantee regarding any securities, financial products, or tools.

Editor/Doris

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