The Biggest FIFA World Cup 2026 Advertising Trends — and What Brands Can Learn

For advertisers around the world, FIFA World Cup 2026 represents a historic opportunity. The tournament’s opening matches smashed all-time viewership records, with more than 54 million fans tuning in to watch matches featuring the three host nations. And as we saw during Super Bowl LX, World Cup advertisers were keen to get in on the action, using money and celebrity to make their messages stand out.

All the fervor, excitement, and ad spend surrounding arguably the biggest competition in sports begs the question: Where does my brand fit into this landscape? And how can I get in on the hype around the World Cup?

Our agency has done the research to uncover the biggest advertising trends of FIFA World Cup 2026. Below are our top three trends and takeaways on what makes a World Cup ad stand out.

Trend #1: Food and beverage brands doubling down on celebration

Food and beverage brands are key players in the celebration space, making World Cup ad buys an effective strategy. Budweiser’s “Let it Pour” cleverly puts this tactic to use, using crowd imagery to evoke celebratory sights and sounds while inviting the viewer into the game-day experience. For more a focused targeting approach, advertisers can also time ad launches around matchups relevant to their target markets.

Our client, Pizza Patrón, had two reasons to advertise during the World Cup: their bold, Latino-inspired flavors, and the outsized role of pizza when watching sporting events. Recognizing this opportunity, Pizza Patrón worked with K Harvey on tailoring World Cup-themed social media content to tie into the World Cup fandom. Our media team also placed CTV/OTT ads with Telemundo and Peacock that ran before, during and after matches featuring key match ups and partnered with iHeartMedia and top DJs in major markets on an endorsement package, helping Pizza Patrón capitalize on the fútbol frenzy.

Trend #2: Celebrity cameos competing for attention

From Duracell to Coca-Cola, celebrities were featured in nearly every high-profile ad that ran during the World Cup. Timothée Chalamet, Kim Kardashian and Bad Bunny, along with soccer stars Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi, were just a few of the high-profile celebrities who made appearances in ads this World Cup season.

For spots like Adidas’s “Backyard Legends” and Nike’s “Rip the Script,” celebrities complemented the ad’s already strong narrative storytelling, enhancing the overall tone, message and meaning. For ads that lacked the same narrative punch while packing enough stars in to make your head spin (cue “Pepsi Football Nation”), the cameos felt random and at times, disingenuous. It’s a lesson that should have been learned during Super Bowl LX: using celebrities for celebrity’s sake is not an effective advertising strategy.

Trend #3: Hispanic and multicultural audiences shaping campaign strategy

The World Cup represents an unparalleled opportunity to reach Hispanic audiences. Mexico’s opening match with South Africa attracted over 12 million viewers on Telemundo and Peacock, and 9 million of the 25 million audience members who tuned into the U.S. team’s World Cup debut watched in Spanish.

For marketers who want to reach these audiences, Spanish-language ads are not enough. Brands need to go deeper, creating ads that go beyond translation and demonstrate an understanding of Hispanic culture. Ads like IKEA’s “El Lineup de Tus Sueños” and Toyota’s “Tear Storm” are great examples of how brands can capture Hispanic viewers through cultural homage and relevance.

Final thoughts: What makes a World Cup ad stand out

As ads over the past few weeks have shown, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has brought out the competitive spirit of more than just pro athletes. Advertisers, too are getting in on the action, investing massive amounts of time, energy and talent to draw attention to their brands.

But despite the hundreds of thousands of dollars in ad spend, effort does not equal a successful outcome. Successful ad outcomes are driven primarily by strong narrative storytelling, smart ad placement timing, authentic cultural relevance and the occasional well-placed celebrity cameo — if the narrative allows.