Just when brand marketing seemed to have reached a fever pitch at the 2026 World Cup, more companies are finding their niche at the global event.Beauty and skin care in particular have taken a bigger spotlight this year, exemplifying just how closely beauty and sports have become intertwined.
Paula’s Choice, for example, was named the official 2026 World Cup skin-care sponsor, and Unilever’s personal care brands, including Dove and Rexona, are some of the major sponsors of the tournament. But it’s not just official FIFA sponsors capitalizing on the sport’s growth among women. As brands look to jump on cross-cultural moments across North America, companies like Not Your Mother’s, NYX and Fazit are trying to bring fans together in person and drumming up brand awareness during the tournament.
But these activations are part of a bigger trend of beauty brands trying to expand beyond standard marketing channels to capture female audiences. Beauty’s infiltration of traditionally male-dominated sporting events has been on the rise in recent years.
“More than ever, beauty and sports are coming together,” Amit Sarin, head of partnerships and collaborations at beauty brand Fazit, said in an interview with Modern Retail. Fazit is a beauty brand that sells glitter freckles makeup and game-day face patches, and is an official U.S. Soccer Partner.
