Celebrating the World Cup: From Hundreds of Fans in Bulgaria to a Spectacular Light Show

Betano, the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ for Europe and South America, celebrated the tournament alongside fans and employees with unique initiatives across both continents.

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This summer brought thrilling emotions for football fans in Bulgaria and around the world, thanks to the 2026 World Cup. For the first time in history, the tournament was held across three countries—the USA, Mexico, and Canada—and welcomed a record 48 national teams. The largest football championship ever gathered millions of fans in front of their screens, in fan zones, and at special events organized for the tournament. As the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ for Europe and South America, Betano and Kaizen Gaming—the company behind the brand—organized a series of initiatives for football enthusiasts and their employees. For 39 days and 104 matches, Betano and Kaizen Gaming were an integral part of the tournament.

Brazilian fans watch a match in the Betano fan zone in São Paulo. Photo credit: Kaizen Gaming

Experiencing the Game with Fans in Europe and South America

In Bulgaria, the Betano fan zone brought football supporters together for exciting moments, prize games, a summer cinema featuring football-themed films, and a spectacular light show over Sofia for the tournament final. Similar spectacular events took place across both Europe and South America. In Brazil, nearly 4 million fans visited Betano's fan zones in five cities: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Campina Grande, and Brasília. Betano also hosted a fan zone in Gaia, Portugal, where local supporters watched their national team's matches and other games from the World Cup schedule.

Football fans in Bulgaria at the opening of the Betano fan zone in Sofia. Photo credit: Kaizen Gaming

On social media, Betano engaged fans through various initiatives, including illustrations of iconic moments from past FIFA World Cups, a presentation of the tournament's most memorable moments in the style of 90s video games, the creation of special FIFA World Cup 2026™ Limited Edition Jerseys, and a tribute to legendary players for whom 2026 was their "last dance," transforming key moments of their play into choreographies. The main campaign during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ was "Believing Makes It Real," which followed a video game character who leaves the artificial world to experience the atmosphere and shared emotions of a real World Cup. The campaign reached fans in 14 countries across Europe and South America, with content adapted to the cultural specifics of each nation.

Kaizen Gaming Employees Experienced the World Cup Up Close

Kaizen Gaming made the dream of some of its employees come true by providing them with tickets to watch FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches live, covering all travel and accommodation expenses. For Kaizen Gaming, the biggest football event of the year was not just for fans and customers, but also for its more than 3,000 employees worldwide.

A mini-football game between Kaizen Gaming employees during the 2026 World Cup final. Photo credit: Kaizen Gaming

The primary goal was to turn the tournament into an international celebration for everyone. A total of 33 internal events with over 4,300 participants were organized across 12 of the company's offices, including Athens, Sofia, Lisbon, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Bogotá, Bucharest, and Prague. These included World Cup-themed parties, match-viewing events, video game tournaments, interactive challenges, and more. Kaizen Gaming employees in Sofia had numerous occasions to gather during this period, including two themed parties, prize games, and shared moments during the tournament's football matches.

Kaizeners at the Kaizen Campus had the opportunity to experience watching a football match in a sensory room. Photo credit: Kaizen Gaming

Social impact and inclusion also played a significant role. At the Kaizen Campus in Athens, where 1,500 employees work, the company welcomed AccessibAll—a leading organization in sports accessibility and inclusion. Over three days, employees had the chance to experience football matches through the perspective of people with sensory, hearing, and visual impairments, gaining a deeper understanding of how accessibility initiatives genuinely change people's lives.

Continued Unprecedented Growth

The FIFA World Cup 2026™ was the third partnership tournament with FIFA, following the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™—an unparalleled achievement for any online sports betting brand. During this period, Kaizen Gaming also experienced impressive growth, expanding its presence from 11 markets in 2022 to 20 markets today.