Australians are increasingly turning to ChatGPT for information about the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with usage data showing a sharp rise in queries related to the Socceroos, player profiles and match analysis ahead of Australia's clash against the United States.
OpenAI said Australian users have been seeking information on where to watch matches, player statistics, team merchandise and tournament background as interest in the competition continues to grow.
Data from the company showed prompts asking about World Cup live sites increased by 270% following Australia's victory over Türkiye. Searches related to Socceroos merchandise, collectibles and memorabilia doubled during the same period.
Interest in learning about the tournament also rose significantly. Queries covering World Cup facts, history and rules increased fourfold as newer fans sought information about the competition.
One player attracted particularly strong attention from users. Searches related to Nestory Irankunda increased by more than 300 times after his performance against Türkiye prompted supporters to seek more information about the young forward.
Interest in Australia's prospects against the United States also increased. OpenAI reported that prompts comparing the Socceroos' chances against the tournament hosts rose by 2.7 times as fans looked for analysis and context ahead of the match.
World Cup-related activity was not limited to Australia. OpenAI said users around the world generated 17 million prompts related to the tournament during the week before competition began.
Fan engagement
The company said many users were seeking information beyond scores and results.
Prompts focused on teams, players, schedules, tournament storylines, predictions and potential outcomes for different nations. Users also sought explanations of how specific match results could affect qualification scenarios and tournament progression.
The data reflects a broader trend of sports fans using conversational AI tools alongside live broadcasts and digital coverage to obtain background information and real-time context during major events.
Football features
OpenAI has also introduced a dedicated football experience within ChatGPT aimed at users following the World Cup.
The platform includes features that allow supporters to explore team information, compare match-ups and access tournament-related content through conversational prompts.
Users can ask follow-up questions, obtain additional context about teams and players, explore country-specific storylines and create tournament brackets.
The company said the experience includes a global World Cup page as well as 48 localised country pages designed to provide information tailored to different teams and markets.
Future updates
Additional football-related features are expected to be added during the tournament.
Planned updates include conversational bracket tools and features that allow fans to compare selections with friends.
The platform also includes image-generation prompts that users can employ to create football-themed content linked to the tournament.
OpenAI said World Cup-related prompts globally reached 17 million in the week before the competition as fans sought information on teams, schedules, predictions and tournament scenarios.