A competitor has already locked up a partnership with FIFA for the 2026 World Cup — I guess that means you should hang up the cleats and move on, right? WRONG!

What many brands don’t realize is that there are alternative ways to reach soccer fans (i.e., one of the youngest, largest and fastest growing segments in the world) during the World Cup without breaking the bank, and working strategically to find the right fit, frequency, and programming can bring your brand to the forefront in a MUCH more cost-effective manner. So, put on those cleats and prepare to activate around the biggest sporting event the U.S. may EVER experience.

Over 50M+ US TV viewers are expected to watch the World Cup final. For context, this level of engagement is only beat by the NFL Super Bowl, but is sustained for a full month of content through 104 matches reaching 7M+ attendees.

To illustrate the soccer-related programming available to brands beyond the World Cup, below is a group of properties and strategies that we are currently urging our brand clients to explore.

If you’re not sold on the power of soccer as a partnership platform, or you’re looking for buy-in from colleagues, consider the following facts:

1) Soccer is the ONLY Big 5 sport that significantly over-indexes with 16-24 year olds.

2) 65% of all US Gen Z (46M+ people) and 57% of all US 13-63 year olds (131M+ people) are projected to engage with the World Cup.

3) Over 32M NEW soccer fans are expected between now and the end of the 2026 World Cup.

It’s not that you have to get your brand involved, but it’s critical that you have at least evaluated your options and made an informed decision to sit it out if you choose to focus on alternative options. If you do decide to move forward, the time to lock in a deal is fast-approaching.

There are a lot of ways to capitalize on the World Cup; having a teammate that understands the nuances of the whole landscape, what to prioritize, and the roles each opportunities play in your marketing plan will be a game-changer.

To learn more, please email Kevin Kane at Kevin@NVGT.com. Or check out our On-Demand Webinar.