Caixa launches Copa da Loteca for the 2026 World Cup
Caixa Loterías announced the launch of Copa da Loteca, a special edition of the traditional sports prediction game that will accompany the group stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Bet sales begin on Saturday, May 30, and will run until June 25, with four consecutive contests to be drawn during the first stage of the tournament. The public operator estimates that the total prize pool for these four contests will reach R$ 10 million, equivalent to USD 1.9 million.
Caixa's move anticipates a trend already observed in other regulated markets in the region: the 2026 World Cup will act as a commercial accelerator for all gaming verticals, with lotteries, sportsbooks, and digital platforms launching specific products. Copa da Loteca also reinforces Caixa's positioning as a state operator in the face of the advance of the regulated online betting market, at a time when the sector coexists with political pressures to redirect part of its revenue towards social areas.
How the mechanics work
The draws will take place on June 17, 22, 25, and 29. In each contest, participants must predict the outcome of 14 matches, selecting one of the three available options for each match. The modality also allows for double or triple bets on the same match, with the cost increasing depending on the chosen combinations. The minimum bet starts at R$ 4 and includes a double option, which keeps the entry barrier low for recreational players.
One of the main attractions of Copa da Loteca is that the main prize will not be cumulative, a feature that increases the chances of there being winners in each of the four draws. The participating teams will be printed on both the betting slips available at points of sale and on the receipts issued by the terminals, a decision aimed at facilitating operations in a lottery network that reaches small communes and remote neighborhoods across the country.
Group bets and commercial weight
The modality also enables group bets: players can fill in the corresponding field on the ticket or request assistance at authorized establishments. In this case, the minimum value is R$ 16, with minimum individual shares of R$ 4. Group bets can be made up of between 2 and 50 participants, and bettors can join groups already organized by the lotteries, with an additional commission of up to 35 percent on the value of the share.
For the region, the launch confirms that the 2026 World Cup will be one of the most relevant sporting events for the gaming industry in Latin America. Brazil arrives with a rapidly growing regulated online betting market, Colombia and Peru with their consolidated models, Argentina with CABA, the province of Buenos Aires, and other jurisdictions operating, and Mexico observing the movements to strengthen its framework. Caixa enters this competition with a low-priced product, high capillarity, and a clear focus: to capture the casual bettor who follows the tournament without necessarily accessing an online betting platform.
Tags: Brazil, Caixa Lotteries, 2026 World Cup, Loteca, Brazil Lotteries