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Prediction market platform Kalshi recorded $27 billion in trading volume during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, double its initial expectations, as football fans wagered on match outcomes. The surge highlights growing popularity of event betting platforms, though regulators remain sceptical.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has voiced Malaysia's long-term ambition to become a FIFA World Cup host nation, hoping the national team will qualify to represent Southeast Asia in the prestigious tournament.
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Rob Dieperink, a Dutch referee removed from the 2026 World Cup panel after a police case in Britain, has died at age 38. No cause of death has been disclosed. The case against him was dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Korea Football Association president Chung Mong-gyu has resigned from his post, accelerating his planned departure by two weeks following South Korea's premature elimination from the FIFA World Cup group stage.
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FIFA announced that over one million fans attended the opening 16 matches of the World Cup in North America, with stadiums operating at 99.34% capacity despite earlier concerns about ticket pricing and empty seats.