World Cup buzz is fueling a new wave of lottery scratcher games

As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, lotteries across the country are preparing for the excitement of soccer to take over the world. How are they preparing? By offering soccer-themed scratch-off tickets and promotional games.

The tournament kicks off in June 2026 and will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It's expected to bring in millions of visitors, packed stadiums, and nonstop soccer buzz. This excitement is allowing lotteries to launch sports-themed games tied to the major international event. With soccer fever already in the air, players can soon start seeing World Cup-inspired tickets at their local lottery retailer.

California Lottery joins the fun

Up first with the soccer-themed scratchers is the California Lottery. This $2 ticket is called GOOOAAAL!

The California Lottery is telling players to goal big or go home with this scratcher. The game features instant wins, 5X prize multipliers, and chances to score a 12-prize win. It's a fast-paced game from the first scratch to the final whistle, with the top prize being $20,000 for this $2 ticket.

To play this game, scratch off the entire play area to uncover 12 symbols. If you find a “whistle” symbol, then you automatically win that prize. Reveal a flag symbol, and you automatically win five times that prize. Uncover a trophy symbol and win all 12 prizes.

The odds of winning the top prize in this game are 1 in 600,000. As of this writing, all 20 of the top prizes available for this game are still unclaimed.

Soccer hits the Missouri Lottery

This $5 U.S. Soccer ticket from the Missouri Lottery is loaded with $500 top prizes. The odds of winning any prize on this ticket are 1 in 4.06.

To play, you just need to match any of your numbers to any of the winning numbers on the ticket. Do that, and win the prize shown.

While scratching, if you happen to reveal a “cleat” symbol, you win a prize automatically. If you reveal a “jersey” symbol, then you win double the prize. If you happen to reveal a “trophy” symbol, then you win all 15 prizes.

Kicking their way to wins in Georgia

Finally, the Georgia Lottery has released its $2 soccer-themed ticket. The ticket is called Kick 'n Cash.

To play this ticket, scratch the entire play area. If you reveal a trophy, ball, or “ATL” symbol, then you win the prize shown. This game features a top prize of $2,026, and the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 4.26.

Sports-themed tickets are nothing new

While it's exciting to see these soccer-themed tickets pop up across the country, sports-themed instant tickets are nothing new. State lotteries have long leaned into major sporting events to attract casual players and collectors alike.

We often see scratch-offs tied to football championships, baseball teams, NASCAR, and even the Olympics. NASCAR even joined forces with Powerball to create a Powerball Playoff, with the winner taking home $1 million.

The FIFA World Cup is the most-watched sporting event on the planet. The 2026 tournament is the first time it’s been hosted across three countries. Matches are set for cities including Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Toronto, Miami, Mexico City, and Los Angeles.

Because of this excitement, lottery officials are expecting it to boil over into everything people do or consume at that time. We're sure more states will join in the fun as the start of the World Cup happens.

Enjoy playing the lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.