The FIFA Men’s World Cup is coming to the U.S. next year for the first time since 1994 and it is already causing a stir.
FIFA World Cup 26 will be the largest and most ambitious tournament in history with lots of firsts. It’s the first World Cup hosted across three countries (the United States, Mexico and Canada), the first with 48 teams, the first time it will take place in 16 host cities including Mexico City, Miami and New York.
As soccer grows in popularity in the U.S., brands are leaning in to be a part of next year’s festivities. “By showing up at FIFA events, brands are tapping into one of the most passionate and diverse global audiences in all of sports,” said Zack Sugarman, senior vice president, Two Circles. “Whether it’s diehard fans, casual watchers, or first-time viewers, the World Cup attracts billions, cutting across regions, cultures, and generations.”
“It especially resonates with younger, mobile-first audiences around the world who engage in real time and see soccer as part of their identity and everyday culture,” Sugarman continued. “In fact, total video views for global soccer on social hit 484 billion over the past year, a 453% increase over the last five years, underscoring just how deeply this generation connects with the sport through digital platforms.”
NBCUniversal and Telemundo will be broadcasting the games and all 104 matches will stream live on Peacock and FAST, a new Telemundo ad-supported streaming platform. “There has never been this much soccer on television,” said Mónica Gil, chief administrative and marketing officer at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises.
Brands are leaning into sponsorship to be a part of the story that connects to these massive audiences. Heather Dade Themelis, senior manager, sports marketing at Home Depot said that the retailer’s FIFA World Cup sponsorship is part of a long-term strategy to connect The Home Depot with passionate fanbases across sports and entertainment.
“Soccer is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., and the 2026 World Cup will be one of the largest sporting events ever held,” said Dade Themelis. “This sponsorship gives us a platform to show up authentically at one of the biggest sporting events in the world – across three countries where we operate – and to engage fans through community-focused activations, performance media, and brand storytelling.”
Lenovo, the first-ever “Official Technology Partner of the FIFA World Cup” will be taking advantage of the storytelling capabilities of the event. But they are doing more than sponsoring the tournament – they are delivering the AI technology that will power it.
“Our technology will be deployed across every level of planning and execution, from FIFA headquarters and the International Broadcast Centre to venues across North America,” said Jeff Shafer, senior vice president, corporate marketing group at Lenovo. “We’re focused on ensuring flawless performance across infrastructure, content workflows, team logistics, and fan engagement. This is the biggest stage in the world. We will be the technology backbone for the most watched and most complicated event in history. What better way to show the world what we can do and how we can make an impact.”
Kia America’s FIFA partnership reflects the brand’s global vision: “movement that inspires,” said Brad Mays, director of brand experience at Kia. “Soccer is the world’s most unifying sport, and it gives us a powerful platform to connect with passionate, diverse communities across generations. We’re not just sponsoring a sport, we’re investing in culture, creativity, and the shared energy that soccer ignites.”
Visa is FIFA’s official payment technology partner, as such Visa cardholders will get exclusive early access to apply for tickets. From September 10–19, fans with eligible Visa cards – including credit, debit, and reloadable Visa prepaid – can apply for tickets through the Visa Presale Draw, a randomized selection process offering early purchase access. Selected entrants will be notified starting September 30. The financial services company has also tapped Lamine Yamal as its global ambassador for the tournament.
With so many host cities this year, retailers are already planning on-site activations in these localized regions. Adam Herstig, SVP of marketing and partnerships at Lids, the company is already looking at its retail locations in host cities and places like Los Angeles and New York, as well as satellite cities like Las Vegas, which often does great business during the Super Bowl. It is still early to know which teams will be in play, but the company is already planning ahead.
“The work right now for us is looking at a lot of different product from a lot of different key vendors and triangulating back against our store base where we feel like the biggest opportunities are going to be,” he told Brand Innovators. “Where are those arenas in the host cities? Where do we have a good store base and how deep do we want to buy into what kind of product? All that homework’s being done now with key vendors that have struck those master licensing deals, both for adults and kids.”
Herstig said it is tricky to determine sales goals. “It’s so hard,” he admitted. “With the Superbowl every year, we’ve got historical data. While it is team dependent and depends on the host city, you can pin it to the past. We don’t have this for FIFA.”
