FIFA FEVER 5 STOCKS TO KEEP IN YOUR WATCHLIST

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be the largest tournament in football history, featuring 48 teams, 104 matches, and millions of travelling fans. With the event spread across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, investors are looking for companies that could benefit from increased advertising, tourism, merchandise sales, and sports betting activity.

Here are five stocks worth watching as the tournament approaches.

1. $Fox Corporation Class A(FOXA)$

Fox is one of the most direct World Cup investment opportunities available.

As the English-language broadcaster of the tournament in the United States, Fox stands to benefit from massive television audiences and increased advertising revenue. With matches taking place in North American time zones, analysts expect viewership records to be challenged throughout the event.

Why watch it:

• Increased advertising revenue

• Record television audiences

• Potential boost to streaming platforms

At a Glance:

Revenue (Trailing 12 Months): $16.2 billion

Net Profit: $1.71 billion

Earnings Per Share (EPS): $3.82

Free Cash Flow: $2.14 billion

Market Cap: Approximately $28.1 billion

Dividend:

FOXA isn't a high-yield dividend stock, but it has steadily increased its dividend over recent years.

• Annual Dividend: $0.56 per share

• Dividend Yield: ~0.84%

• Payout Ratio: 14.65%

• Dividend Growth: 5 consecutive years of increases

The low payout ratio means the dividend is well covered by earnings and has room to grow.

Share Buybacks:

One of FOXA's biggest strengths is its share repurchase program.

• Shares outstanding declined approximately 3.6% year-over-year

• Shareholder yield (dividends + buybacks) is around 4.45%

This means management is actively returning capital to investors beyond the dividend.

Bull Case:

✅ World Cup 2026 advertising boost

✅ Strong sports portfolio including NFL, college football, and major sporting events

✅ Consistent profitability

✅ Growing dividend

✅ Aggressive share buybacks

✅ Analyst average price target is around $73.88, implying roughly 10% upside from recent levels.

Risks:

⚠️ Traditional television continues to face long-term cord-cutting pressure.

⚠️ Sports broadcasting rights are becoming more expensive.

⚠️ Legal expenses and litigation remain ongoing concerns.

2. $DraftKings Inc.(DKNG)$

Sports betting continues to grow rapidly across North America, and major international tournaments often generate significant wagering activity.

DraftKings could see higher betting volumes, stronger customer engagement, and increased user acquisition during the World Cup, particularly as football betting gains popularity in the U.S. market.

Why watch it:

• Increased betting activity

• Customer growth opportunities

• Strong engagement during major sporting events

At a glance:

• Revenue (TTM): Approximately $5 billion+

• Strong year-over-year revenue growth

• Continuing path toward sustained profitability

• Large and growing customer base

Dividend:

• No dividend

• Management reinvests cash into growth and market expansion

Bull Case:

✅ World Cup betting surge

✅ Expanding legal sports betting markets

✅ Strong brand recognition

✅ Growing revenue and user base

✅ Potential profitability improvements over the next few years

Risks:

⚠️ No dividend income

⚠️ Regulatory changes can impact growth

⚠️ Highly competitive industry

@3. Adidas (OTC: ADDYY)

Adidas remains one of the brands most closely associated with the World Cup.

As a major FIFA partner, the company benefits from global exposure through official merchandise, apparel sales, and tournament branding. Strong performances by sponsored teams can further boost demand for jerseys and fan gear.

Why watch it:

• Official FIFA partnership

• Merchandise and apparel sales

• Global brand visibility

• Financial Snapshot

• Annual Revenue: Over €23 billion

• Global leader in football apparel

• Strong international presence

• Recovering profitability after recent restructuring efforts

Dividend

• Historically pays a dividend

• Yield typically ranges between 1% and 3% depending on share price

• Long history of shareholder returns

Bull Case

✅ Official FIFA partner

✅ Massive merchandise sales opportunity

✅ Global football brand

✅ Strong international growth potential

✅ World Cup provides worldwide marketing exposure

Risks

⚠️ Consumer spending slowdowns

⚠️ Currency fluctuations

⚠️ Competition from Nike

4. $Airbnb, Inc.(ABNB)$

Millions of supporters are expected to travel between host cities during the tournament.

Airbnb could benefit from increased demand for short-term accommodation as fans seek flexible lodging options throughout North America. The platform's broad inventory makes it particularly well-positioned to capture tournament-related travel spending.

Why watch it:

• Growth in international tourism

• Increased short-term rental demand

• Exposure across multiple host cities

At a glance:

• Revenue (TTM): Over $11 billion

• Net Income: Over $2 billion

• Strong free cash flow generation

• Asset-light business model

Dividend

• No dividend

• Focuses on growth initiatives and share repurchases

Bull Case

✅ Increased tourism demand

✅ Strong profitability

✅ High free cash flow

✅ Benefits from multiple host cities

✅ Global travel recovery tailwind

Risks

⚠️ Local government regulations

⚠️ Travel spending slowdowns

⚠️ Economic downturns affecting tourism

5. Visa (NYSE: V)

Every major sporting event generates enormous consumer spending, and Visa is positioned to benefit from that activity.

As international visitors travel, dine, shop, and book accommodation, payment volumes typically increase. Visa's global payment network provides indirect exposure to the economic activity created by the World Cup.

Why watch it:

• Increased transaction volumes

• Exposure to tourism spending

• Long-standing global sponsorship presence

• Financial Snapshot

• Revenue (TTM): Approximately $37 billion

• Net Income: Approximately $20 billion

• Operating Margins above 60%

• One of the most profitable companies in the world

Dividend

• Dividend Yield: Around 0.7%–0.8%

• More than 15 consecutive years of dividend growth

• Significant share buyback program

Bull Case

✅ Benefits from global consumer spending

✅ World Cup tourism catalyst

✅ Highly profitable business model

✅ Consistent dividend growth

✅ Strong competitive moat

Risks

⚠️ Consumer spending slowdowns

⚠️ Regulatory scrutiny

⚠️ Economic recessions reducing transaction volume

Final Thoughts

While the World Cup alone won't determine a company's long-term success, it can provide a meaningful catalyst for revenue growth and investor attention. Among these five stocks, Fox offers the most direct exposure to tournament viewership, DraftKings provides a sports betting angle, Adidas captures merchandise demand, Airbnb benefits from travel spending, and Visa gains from increased global transactions.

Investors should remember that major events are often priced into stocks well before kickoff. The most successful investments are usually those backed by strong underlying businesses that can benefit from the World Cup while continuing to grow long after the final whistle.