How iGaming Operators Should Approach the 2026 World Cup

World Cup season makes everyone louder, but not everyone wins. In this episode of The Squared Table, Victor sits down with Steven Cartigny to break down how sportsbooks should plan marketing for World Cup 2026, without wasting budget or copying the same offers as everyone else. They talk about what changes when matches are played across North America, why time zones can shift the value of live betting for different regions, and how to plan campaigns by tournament phases, not just “one big World Cup push.” Steven also explains how to use localisation the right way, how to think about ambassadors without creating brand headaches, and which daily KPIs actually tell you if the campaign is working while the tournament is live.

• Why World Cup 2026 timing and location change campaign priorities, especially for European operators
• How to split planning into phases, pre-tournament, group stage, and knockouts, and what each phase is “for”
• Where to focus if live betting is harder due to match times, and how to use previews, recaps, and highlights instead
• How to stand out when every brand runs similar promos, and why “more bonus” is rarely a real edge
• How to choose ambassadors by market, and reduce compliance and brand-risk
• The core metrics Steven watches daily, registrations, FTDs, actives, deposits, balances, turnover, and NGR, plus how national team performance impacts demand