Published on: June 17, 2026, 11:54h. 

Updated on: June 17, 2026, 11:58h.

• Kalshi secures sponsorship deal with the Argentina Football Association on June 10
• Lionel Messi netted a hat trick in last night’s victory against Algeria
• Collaboration includes a paid post on Messi’s Instagram, boasting over 500 million followers

Kalshi’s recent sponsorship collaboration with the Argentina Football Association (AFA) gained significant traction, thanks in part to a paid post on Lionel Messi’s vast Instagram following, and Messi’s impressive hat trick during the World Cup match against Algeria last night.

Kalshi’s World Cup Sponsorship

At 38, Messi is guiding Argentina in what is likely his final World Cup, with an impressive 507 million followers on Instagram.

On June 10, Kalshi, an innovative prediction market platform, revealed a partnership with AFA, the official organization governing Argentina’s national football team and reigning FIFA World Cup champions.

As part of the deal, Kalshi will serve as the official sponsor of AFA throughout the 2026 World Cup, concluding on July 19. The collaboration encompasses co-branded initiatives, coordinated social media efforts, and allows Kalshi to utilize AFA’s intellectual property, including the national team’s iconic sky-blue and white logo, in their marketing campaigns.

Messi’s Hat Trick Against Algeria

The campaign kicked off on June 14 with a promotional post on Messi’s Instagram, showcasing an image of him with teammates Nicolas Otamendi and Rodrigo De Paul, highlighting a giveaway for a signed AFA jersey.

Additionally, the post drew attention to Kalshi’s betting market regarding Argentina’s chances of repeating as World Cup champions, stating an implied probability of 8.9%. The post gained 1.6 million likes.

Influence of Messi’s Instagram Post

However, the probability shifted significantly this morning, following Messi’s hat trick during Argentina’s opening match against Algeria, which ended 3-0 in front of a crowd of over 69,000 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.

With this stellar performance, which marked two decades since his World Cup debut, Messi tied Miroslav Klose for the highest number of goals scored in men’s World Cup history, reaching a total of 16—this being his first hat trick on the World Cup stage.

Increased Chances for Argentina

At Kalshi, the implied probability has now increased to 10.5%. France leads with an 18.5% likelihood, followed by Spain at 13% and Portugal at 11.4%. England, set to begin their tournament against Croatia today, is trailing closely behind Argentina at 10.4%. Portugal will also play their first match today, going up against Congo.

As part of the Kalshi-AFA partnership, AFA’s Official Data and Streaming Partner, Genius Sports, will supply Kalshi with verified official sports data to aid in the creation and management of related sports prediction market contracts.