The biggest football tournament in the world doesn’t start with the opening whistle. It starts long before that.
ALSO READ: Mbappé Leads 2026 World Cup Golden Boot Odds.
That’s the thinking behind BetJets’ new FIFA World Cup 2026 pre-tournament campaign, Before The Whistle, a multi-stage customer engagement experience designed to get football fans involved before a single ball is kicked.
Built around predictions, personal preferences and tournament anticipation, the campaign rewards customers for backing their instincts ahead of the FIFA World Cup, while giving them the chance to win major prizes and unlock exclusive tournament rewards.
Football Fever Starts Before Kick-Off
Every football fan has an opinion. Who’s lifting the trophy? Which teams are overrated? Who they’re backing all the way.
Before The Whistle turns those opinions into action.
The campaign invites BetJets customers to complete a series of interactive steps before the FIFA World Cup begins. Participants will predict the tournament winner, rank their favourite teams and complete a football personality quiz that explores how they watch, follow and bet on the beautiful game.
Once completed, customers secure entry into the campaign’s first major prize draw: a Samsung 75-inch 4K TV.
More Than Just Predictions
While many promotions focus solely on betting activity, Before The Whistle is designed to celebrate the build-up to the tournament itself.
The campaign recognises that some of the biggest football debates happen before kick-off:
“Brazil are favourites.”
“England are finally bringing it home.”
“South Africa can shock the world.”
Wanna bet?
By capturing customer predictions before the tournament begins, BetJets creates a unique snapshot of fan sentiment and football confidence across South Africa.
Customers can edit their tournament winner prediction and favourite team rankings right up until the opening FIFA World Cup match, ensuring they have every opportunity to back their final choice before the action begins.
The Opening Match Unlocks Even More
The campaign reaches its next stage when the FIFA World Cup officially gets underway.
Customers who complete the initial campaign journey and place a qualifying pre-match bet on the opening match between South Africa and Mexico unlock entry into the campaign’s headline tournament promotion: a R300,000 prize pool that will run throughout the FIFA World Cup.
In addition, qualifying customers stand a chance to win an official Bafana Bafana jersey through a dedicated lucky draw linked to the opening fixture.
A Campaign Built for Football Fans
Before The Whistle is about more than prizes.
It’s about celebrating the anticipation, arguments, predictions and confidence that make major tournaments special.
Long before goals are scored, trophies are lifted, or upsets happen, football fans have already made up their minds.
The question is whether they’re willing to back themselves.
