More than half of the 32 teams participating in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup have partnerships with betting companies. In Brazil, the betting market is in the spotlight and all teams in the Brazilian Championship Series A have ties to sports betting sites.
Outside of South America, this phenomenon is somewhat smaller, but still significant. Of the 32 teams participating in the international competition, 17 have commercial agreements with companies in the sector.
Six of these clubs play in South America, including four Brazilian clubs — Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Palmeiras — and two Argentine clubs — Boca Juniors and River Plate. Therefore, the brands of the bookmakers occupy the main place on the uniforms. The other 11 teams are spread across different continents.
Among the main international teams in this scenario are Inter Milan, runners-up in the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League, and Porto, from Portugal. The two are the only teams outside South America with betting houses displayed in the central part of their uniforms.
In addition to these, there are clubs such as Benfica, from Portugal, and Pachuca, from Mexico. Both display the logo of betting companies, but on other parts of the uniform.
Seven teams have deals with betting companies but no advertising on their shirts: Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus and Auckland City.
FIFA Regulations on Betting in the Competition
According to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) regulations, the 32 clubs in the tournament are only allowed to display their main sponsor on their shirts during the competition. The regulations provide for this rule to avoid conflict with official tournament sponsors.
However, the federation allowed an exception. It authorized the display of an additional brand on one of the shirt sleeves. When approved, the decision allowed clubs to choose which sponsor to display and inform the international body.
Filipe Molon, commercial director of Ana Gaming, a company with a presence in four Brazilian elite clubs, stated: “It is a mature and regulated market in several countries, proving a reality of investment in the main leagues in the world; some more, others less, but which demonstrate the importance of this global industry in football”.
US Sports Betting Companies
In the United States, gambling is regulated by state. The scenario varies from Utah — where all forms of gambling are prohibited — to Nevada, which allows almost all options except lotteries.
In addition to the 50 federative units, hundreds of tribes, with limited sovereignty, have autonomy to decide their own rules related to gambling.
Some states have imposed restrictions. New York has banned gambling ads near college campuses. The previous year, a Democratic senator and a Democratic representative introduced a bill to ban gambling ads during live sports broadcasts and in campaigns featuring college athletes.
Sports betting is permitted in 38 US states and is mainly directly related to American football.
At the Club World Cup, FIFA only allows advertising from official partners in stadiums. Among the nine brands sponsoring the competition, one is a betting company: Betano, of Greek origin.
Sportsbooks’ performance in other leagues
The Portuguese League is the one that most resembles Brazil in terms of the strong presence of betting companies. Of the 18 clubs in Portugal’s top division, 12 are sponsored by companies in this segment — which represents 67%.
Of these, 11 display their brands in the central space of the uniform. These teams include Sporting, Benfica, Porto, Braga, Famalicão, Vitória, Rio Ave, Arouca, Estoril Praia, Gil Vicente, Moreirense, Santa Clara and Farense.
In La Liga, Spain’s top league, five of the 20 clubs have links with betting companies. However, none of them display the logos of these companies on their kits. These clubs include Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Deportivo Alavés and Celta de Vigo.
