By Imy Brighty-Potts, Marketing and Content
As we enter 2026, the football world is gearing up for the Men’s FIFA World Cup, a time for national pride, celebration, commiseration and lots of brand opportunities. Beyond official partnerships and sponsorship deals, there are myriad ways for brands of all budgets to get involved in World Cup mania.
Pre-match hype: While FIFA has a small list of official global partners, brands need not sponsor the tournament to get themselves out there in the run-up to this summer’s football extravaganza. Rising Ballers, dubbed ‘the voice of youth culture’, concluded in their recent World Cup Heartbeats research that this will be the biggest World Cup ever for content creators.
With more than one-third of fans consuming football podcasts in the run-up to the tournament, this could present an avenue to reaching highly engaged sports audiences outside of matchday broadcasts.
In one of the most striking findings of the report, 62% of fans admit supporting more than one national team. This is both a product of the incredible global reach of football – with many immigrant communities and people of diverse backgrounds supporting both their ‘home’ nation and that of their families – and a by-product of an increasingly commoditised sport, with superstar players often as well-supported as teams.
This presents a great opportunity for brands which recognise the diversity of football communities. For example, England will be awash with talk of the Three Lions during the tournament, but brands may be able to cut through by amplifying the many other fandoms within the country.
During the tournament: Social is going to play an outsize role this tournament as fans consume highlights reels and hot takes across the small screen as the matches live on the big screen. According to the report, 60% will engage with creator/influencer/publisher content on Instagram, so ensuring brands are well-placed alongside commentary on the platform will be key to reaching audiences who are double-screening.
Another emerging aspect of modern football culture is many fans choosing to watch content creators at the same time as, or even in preference to, the matches themselves. Creators such as Mark Goldbridge have grown large followings by livestreaming themselves reacting to matches as they happen, offering fan communities an alternative to traditional TV commentary tracks. With many such creators open to brand partnerships, this presents another route for brands who may otherwise be priced out of World Cup advertising to maintain a presence during matchdays. Indeed, such reaction content often goes viral for its unabashed passion, potentially allowing brands to gain fame long after the full-time whistle.
Additionally, fan-zone style events through organisers like Boxpark could prove beneficial. People are eager for in-person, in-real-life community, and as pubs and bars book out, brands can get ahead by creating fan experiences alongside the game.
After the final whistle: Content will continue to find engagement with football fans long after their teams are knocked out of the tournament, through highlights, comedy skits, and passionate commentary.
Brands with an eye for the beautiful game should look to spot those up-and-coming creators and burgeoning podcasts early, and plan accordingly. Once the game is over, their careers will continue, and investing in their platforms could gain brands buy-in from fresh audiences.
