How Visa’s World Cup playbook drove a 12% tap-to-pay surge

News

Visa North America CMO Kyndra Russell breaks down the real-time strategy behind the Tap In campaign and her broader approach to long-term growth.

by Cecilia Garzella & Ivy Chan July 23 2026

Days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded, Campaign spoke with Visa’s North America CMO, Kyndra Russell, about how the brand approached a tri-host tournament, built real-time marketing agility and connected live sports moments to consumer spending.

Newly released Visa data reveals how those efforts aligned with measurable shifts on the ground. Cross-border transactions in host markets grew nearly 20% year-over-year during the tournament, while tap-to-pay usage climbed nearly 12%.

How Visa’s World Cup playbook drove a 12% tap-to-pay surge

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