Lionel Messi has joined Giannis Antetokounmpo as the latest global superstar athlete to link up with Kalshi, the popular prediction market service, as Argentina prepares to open its World Cup title defense on Tuesday.
The Inter Miami star posted an ad on Instagram promoting the company Sunday morning with a picture of him seated on a couch next to Argentina international teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolas Otamendi. The post coincided with Kalshi announcing a partnership with the Argentina Football Association during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a news release sent out Sunday morning.
A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)
AFA Sponsorship Details
Kalshi outlined the scope of the agreement in its release.
Kalshi will serve as an official sponsor of the AFA for the duration of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The partnership includes co-branded activations, coordinated social media campaigns, and Kalshi's use of AFA intellectual property, including Argentina's iconic sky-blue and white crest, across its marketing materials.
Messi and Argentina will open their World Cup title defense Tuesday against Algeria in Kansas City, Mo. Messi scored seven goals, including two in the final, to lead his country to the trophy in Qatar in 2022. The 38-year-old forward has a record eight Ballon d'Or awards, given to the world's best men's soccer player.
What Kalshi Does
Kalshi is a prediction market that offers users the ability to trade contracts predicting the outcomes of sporting events. Because it is a prediction market and not a sportsbook, it is currently legal in all 50 states and is a popular alternative to traditional sports betting apps, although Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recently signed a law explicitly banning prediction markets.
The service's partnership with Argentina will include the disclosure of sports data that will aid Kalshi's creation of prediction markets.
As part of the agreement, AFA's Official Data & Streaming partner, Genius Sports, will provide Kalshi with official sports data to support the creation and settlement of related sports prediction market contracts. By using verified official data as a consistent source of truth, the agreement will contribute to enhancing transparency while reducing reliance on unofficial or delayed data sources.
Kalshi's Growing Sports Presence
Kalshi has made significant inroads in the sports world over the last year. The company has linked up with several major athletes and stars across multiple leagues.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, the two-time NBA MVP and one-time league champion with the Milwaukee Bucks, announced a partnership with the company in February.
- Golfer Bryson DeChambeau reached a deal with the service in mid-January as its first athlete endorser.
- Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid, former NFL star Marshawn Lynch, and two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart, among other stars were revealed as investors or partners with the service in April.
