Polymarket Signs Exclusive U.S. Prediction Market Deal With Serie A, Completing Soccer League Trio in 2026

Polymarket announced on May 14, 2026 that it has signed a multiyear exclusive partnership with Italy’s Serie A, making it the official prediction market platform for the league in the United States. The deal is Polymarket’s third major soccer league agreement of 2026, following earlier partnerships with Major League Soccer and Spain’s La Liga, and signals an aggressive push by the platform to establish itself as the default destination for sports-related prediction market trading in America.

The Serie A partnership gives Polymarket access to official league data through a Genius Sports integration, the right to use Serie A logos and marks on the platform, and brand visibility across the league’s U.S. digital and media channels. All three elements are standard components of official sports league deals, the same type of arrangements that traditional sportsbooks have pursued to enhance product credibility and reduce the risk of data disputes.

The Sports League Partnership Strategy

Polymarket’s president of sports business development, Ari Borod, joined the company in February 2026 after previously serving as chief business officer at Fanatics. His stated goal is to position Polymarket as what he described as the “official exchange for traders in the U.S.” across major sports leagues and events. The MLS, La Liga, and now Serie A deals collectively give Polymarket official status in three of the most significant soccer properties available in the American market.

Michele Ciccarese, marketing and commercial director of Lega Serie A, confirmed that the U.S. represents a key growth target for the Italian league. “Our exclusive alliance with Polymarket, as Regional Partner in the USA, lets us engage a new generation of fans through a platform that embodies emerging trends,” Ciccarese said. “It delivers an interactive, real-time product rooted in insights and participation perfectly aligned with their expectations.”

The decision to focus the deal on the U.S. specifically was deliberate, according to Borod. Polymarket operates globally and already has international users, but the league deal is structured exclusively for the American market, reflecting both the commercial priority of U.S. growth and the distinct regulatory environment that governs prediction market activity in the United States.

Why This Matters for Sports Bettors

From a sports bettor’s perspective, the growth of prediction market partnerships with major sports leagues raises a practical question about the evolving landscape of where and how to engage with sports outcomes financially. Traditional sportsbooks like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM operate in licensed state markets and offer betting on Serie A through standard sports betting apps. Polymarket offers contracts on Serie A outcomes through its platform, but under a federal derivatives framework rather than a state sports betting license.

The legal distinction matters because it affects which consumer protections apply, what responsible gambling resources are required, and whether the platform is subject to the promotional restrictions that state-licensed sportsbooks must follow. These questions are currently being litigated in multiple states and are at the center of ongoing debates at the CFTC and in Congress.

DraftKings launched its own prediction market product and recently added a Combos feature that allows users to bundle multiple event contracts into a single trade, directly competing with platforms like Polymarket. FanDuel has also entered the prediction market space. This means that for sports bettors who use established sportsbook apps, prediction market functionality may become available through interfaces they already use.

Broader Regulatory Backdrop

The surge of official league partnerships for Polymarket is occurring against a backdrop of significant regulatory uncertainty. Minnesota’s legislature passed the first state-level ban on sports-related prediction market contracts, and Wisconsin’s governor signed an executive order restricting state employees from trading on prediction markets using insider information. The CFTC is in active talks with major U.S. sports leagues to develop data-sharing and oversight frameworks for prediction market contracts tied to their games.

Whether the Serie A deal makes Polymarket’s products more or less likely to face state-level challenges remains an open question. On one hand, official league sanction may help distinguish legitimate prediction markets from unregulated operators. On the other, the increased visibility of sports-tied prediction market contracts may accelerate state legislative efforts to define and regulate the category.

For sports bettors exploring all their options, traditional sportsbooks available through sportsbook reviews continue to offer the most clearly regulated and consumer-protected route to betting on Series A and other soccer leagues in states where sports betting is legal.