Global week ahead: Soccer isn't the only thing that's kicking off

Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi kicks the ball during the Qatar 2022 World Cup final football match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on December 18, 2022. Kirill Kudryavtsev | Afp | Getty Images There is a special type of fever around a men's soccer World Cup. And the 2026 edition of the tournament is causing even more excitement, with 48 teams instead of the usual 32, and three host nations instead of the usual one. Matches will stretch from Vancouver to Mexico City from June 11 to July 19, marking the first time the games are being hosted in North America since 1994. There will be winners and losers on and off the pitch. Goldman Sachs predicts the main sector beneficiaries will include European and U.S. consumer staples, U.S. retail, and hospitality firms. But the investment bank also warns that "while the World Cup is undoubtedly a major commercial event, it does not necessarily follow that the macroeconomic impact on the host nations will be substantial or long-lasting." The World Cup could boost these equity sectors, according to Deutsche and Goldman What are the odds Deutsche Bank analysts believe sports betting platforms also stand to benefit. But a battle could be brewing between the traditional bookmakers and the ever-growing prediction markets . This is the first World Cup where Polymarket and Kalshi are now significant forces in the sports betting space. …