Prediction market Myriad has launched a World Cup contest with a $100,000 prize pool ahead of the 2026 tournament
Summary
- Myriad opened a trading contest tied to the 2026 World Cup, with $100,000 split between top traders and makers.
- The platform launched with over 75 multi-binary markets covering every match in the tournament.
- President Farokh Sarmad says the event showcases how prediction markets work around global sports.
Prediction market Myriad has opened a trading competition built around football’s 2026 World Cup, putting $100,000 on the line. The contest runs in collaboration with layer-1 blockchain D.Energy.
The launch lands as prediction markets push deeper into mainstream sports betting. Myriad launched the FIFA World Cup 2026 Prediction Contest with more than 75 multi-binary markets, letting users trade on every single match in the tournament.
How the World Cup contest works
The top three traders take home $20,000, $10,000 and $5,000 respectively, with a further $10,000 split across the rest of the leaderboard. Top makers draw on a separate $5,000 weekly pool, with the leaderboard reset each week.
Market resolution runs through Chainlink oracles, while real-time sports data comes via Myriad’s tech partner 55 Tech. Both underpin how the contest settles each match outcome.
“We’re thrilled to be running this contest during the World Cup,” said Myriad Co-Founder and President Farokh Sarmad. “With billions of viewers tuning in to the tournament from around the world, this is a great opportunity to showcase how prediction markets work around sports tournaments on a global stage.”
Myriad is built by Dastan, the parent company of media outlets Decrypt and Rug Radio. The contest builds on a seed round the platform closed earlier this year to fund product and liquidity expansion.
Why prediction markets are chasing sports
The timing is deliberate. Prediction markets have moved from a crypto niche into one of finance’s fastest-growing sectors, a shift crypto.news has tracked as monthly volumes climbed toward tens of billions of dollars.
Rivals are racing for the same attention. Polymarket and Kalshi already list live World Cup markets, and the sector faces fresh scrutiny after Spain moved to block both platforms.
Institutional interest is climbing too, with Polymarket recently partnering with Nasdaq’s private-markets arm. Around 1.5 billion viewers watched the last World Cup final in Qatar, according to FIFA, giving Myriad a global stage to convert that audience into traders.
