The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off on June 11 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. BeInCrypto analysts identified three sports stocks to watch with direct exposure to the tournament.
The 48-team format drives 20-30% jersey spikes, $3.3 billion in US sportsbook handle, and a record 340-hour broadcast slate. Each pick offers a direct play on one commercial flow.
Nike (NYSE: NKE)
Nike leads the sports stocks to watch discussion ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 kickoff on June 11. The company is classified as sports-adjacent rather than pure sports. The brand sponsors the on-field kits of roughly a dozen qualified national teams at the tournament.
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The roster includes co-hosts the United States and Canada, plus Brazil, England, France, and the Netherlands. Nike unveiled the official US Soccer kits on March 16 alongside Aero-FIT cooling technology built for summer 2026 conditions. Bernstein analyst Aneesha Sherman reiterated an $80 price target on Nike stock on May 11, implying 73.80% upside.
The catalyst lies in tournament-driven jersey demand. World Cup events historically push national team jersey sales 20% to 30% higher for sponsored federations. Nike outfitting the co-host countries plus top European and South American sides sets up a meaningful revenue tailwind.
NKE shares peaked near $68 in late February and slid to a local low of $41 on May 19. The stock then printed a $44 close on May 21, up 4.17% on the session.
Volume hit 27.06 million shares, the largest single-day total since mid-April. Nike also crossed above the 20-day exponential moving average (EMA), a trend-smoothing indicator, for the first time in weeks. The reclaim signals a tentative shift in the short-term trend.
The $41 floor must hold for the bullish thesis to survive. A clean break below dissolves the recovery setup. The first hurdle sits at $47, the 0.236 Fibonacci level marking the March 31 gap-down zone. A reclaim opens the path to $58, then $62, with the $68 February peak as the stretch target. A drop under $41 weakens the bullish theory.
DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG)
DraftKings stands out as one of the few pure-play sports stocks to watch ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The company operates the largest US online sportsbook by handle, the industry term for total wagered dollars.
The tournament opens June 11 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Deutsche Bank projects $1.1 billion in incremental handle for DraftKings from the World Cup window. Total US handle could reach $3.3 billion, given that 135 million Americans now have legal online sportsbook access.
DKNG shares are priced at $25 on May 21, down 2.08% on the session. The daily chart shows an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern, a bullish reversal formation, since February. The head bottoms at $20, and the right shoulder anchors at $23 for now.
The neckline runs through $27. A close above $27 confirms the breakout. The measured move from head to neckline projects 30% upside, with the target near $35.
Chaikin Money Flow (CMF), a volume-weighted gauge of capital inflows, currently reads -0.02. The indicator is climbing toward zero from earlier negative readings. Rising CMF as price approaches the neckline signals accumulation rather than distribution.
A close back below $23 weakens the pattern. A break under the $20 head fully invalidates the inverse head-and-shoulders setup.
Fox Corporation (NASDAQ: FOXA)
Fox Corporation closes the list of sports stocks to watch ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The company is classified as sports-adjacent, with Fox News driving roughly 40% of the company’s revenue. The corporation owns exclusive US English-language broadcast rights for the entire tournament.
Fox Sports will air a record 70 matches on the FOX network, more than double the 2022 count. An additional 34 matches air on FS1, with total programming reaching 340 hours. Every match from the Round of 16 onward, including the July 19 Final at MetLife Stadium, airs on FOX.
All three USMNT group matches air on FOX, starting with the June 12 opener vs. Paraguay. Tubi, the Fox-owned free streamer with 100 million monthly users, simulcasts the opening ceremony in 4K.
FOXA shares are priced near $64 on May 21, down 0.65% on the session. The stock is trading inside a parallel channel from its late-February low at $53. The recent swing high tagged $68 on May 18 before fading back.
The 20-day exponential moving average (EMA), a trend-smoothing indicator, sits at $64 as well ($64.19 to be precise). Price oscillates just above and below the line, with the EMA providing support. A clean close above the 20-day EMA confirms the bullish channel structure.
FOXA needs to hold $64, where the 0.236 Fibonacci level meets the 20-day EMA. A clean close opens the path toward $68, with $73 in view on a break. Below $64, the $62 Fib support comes into play. Losing $62 breaks the channel and exposes $60 and $58.
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