This story is part of our week-long editorial series on how major retailers, fashion conglomerates, beauty brands and CPG startups are leveraging this year’s biggest-ever FIFA World Cup to their advantage.From major splashy ad rollouts by Nike and Adidas to sponsorships by Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola, there is no shortage of brand collaborations for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
But not all brands will pour millions of dollars into official sponsorships. Some smaller U.S. startups, like Crumbl Cookies and Olipop, are getting into the spirit of the World Cup with watch parties, soccer-themed products and more, taking advantage of their proximity to matches to get in on what will perhaps be the biggest cultural moment of the year. With millions of tourists descending on North America in the coming month, brand executives feel like they have to find a way into this moment.
According to a new Bank of America Global Research report, the 2026 World Cup is set to be the biggest to date, with 75% of the world set to engage with the event in some way. “Sectors best positioned to benefit from the World Cup include beverages, sportswear, restaurants, broadcasting, social media and online betting,” the report said.This year’s tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19, will include a record 104 games hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. That gives brands a substantial window of opportunity to host a variety of experiential marketing concepts.
