Major international tournaments often trigger a wave of new football ambassadors, and the 2026 World Cup is no exception. The legendary Spanish goalkeeper Iker Casillas will become a central figure in Stake’s marketing strategy. He will be responsible for leading fan-engagement initiatives as the world’s attention turns to the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Casillas will appear in match analysis and behind-the-scenes content produced in collaboration with Stake.

Akhil Sarin, Chief Marketing Officer at Stake, commented: “With the World Cup 2026 on the horizon, the energy is building, and Stake is ready to take the field. Bringing on Iker Casillas as one of our ambassadors marks a definitive statement of intent.”

The 2010 World Cup champion, who earned 167 caps for Spain, will join Sergio Agüero and Patrice Evra in Stake’s roster of football ambassadors. Beyond football, the company already collaborates with high-profile figures such as UFC stars Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, as well as Canadian rapper Drake.

Stake has previously relied on stars from various sports in its football campaigns, so the company may activate its full ambassador lineup to maximise its World Cup reach.

“I’m really happy to join the Stake family,” added Casillas on the opportunity. “I’ve seen how the community keeps growing and the great energy around the brand, and I was excited to become part of something like this. I’m sure we’re going to have a great time and create some very interesting things together.”

Stake aims to tap into the World Cup audience, which FIFA projects will reach around six billion viewers in 2026. Based on statistics from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the global betting handle reached approximately $35 billion – a significant increase compared to previous tournaments. Research by Spotlight Sports Group shows that 70% of fans in the UK, US, and Latin America plan to place a bet during the 2026 tournament.

However, the expanded format featuring 48 teams creates new challenges for operators. In particular, this will be the first major tournament in which a significant portion of Gen Z bettors will actively participate.

Speaking on a recent SBC webinar about the preferences of this demographic of players, Ifran Parrvez, Director of Sports at Livescore, said: “[Gen Z] are interested mostly in players rather than teams or moments rather than matches. We’ve got to be cognizant of that. We’re not really competing with bookmakers, we’re competing with the wider attention economy.”

As a result, marketing around the World Cup will likely focus on individual storylines – such as what may be the final major-tournament appearances for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, as well as Erling Haaland’s debut at the World Cup.

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