{"id":907288,"date":"2026-05-21T08:12:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T13:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/21\/the-world-cup-is-coming-to-your-grocery-store\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T08:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T13:12:12","slug":"the-world-cup-is-coming-to-your-grocery-store","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/21\/the-world-cup-is-coming-to-your-grocery-store\/","title":{"rendered":"The World Cup Is Coming To Your Grocery Store"},"content":{"rendered":"
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MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 11: Detailed view of the 2026 World Cup trophy during the unveiling of the countdown clock 1 year ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at General Prim on June 11, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Cristopher Rogel Blanquet\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n

Getty Images<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/span> <\/span> And if you\u2019re a grocery retailer, a CPG brand, or simply a shopper trying to make sense of what\u2019s hitting your store shelves right now, you need to understand what\u2019s happening \u2014 because the wave is already a tsunami.<\/p>\n

With 48 participating nations, 104 matches, and 16 host cities<\/a> spanning the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, FIFA projects global viewership of roughly 6 billion people \u2014 approximately 73% of the world\u2019s population. Total economic output is projected to exceed $80 billion, with over $30 billion in U.S. impact alone and some $3.4 billion in domestic tax revenue. FIFA\u2019s marketing and sponsorship revenue for the 2023\u20132026 cycle is forecast to reach $11 billion<\/a>. That\u2019s not a sports budget. That’s a geopolitical event.<\/p>\n

The fan engagement data backs it up. A recent YouGov Global Brand Handbook<\/a> found that more than four in ten global adults<\/em> are likely to follow the World Cup, with fans skewing younger, male, and higher income. In some markets, more than four in five fans say they view sponsors more favorably \u2014 with sponsorship directly increasing brand trust, relevance, and purchase likelihood. <\/p>\n

As YouGov Sport’s global head Nicole Pike put it: “This isn’t just a tournament, it’s a cultural event with a gravitational pull that touches sport, music, travel, and identity. Early movers are seeing real returns well ahead of the opening whistle.”<\/em> The brands in this column understood that months ago.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is one headwind worth naming: concerns around U.S. travel demand \u2014 linked to the current political climate and Iran War \u2014 have created some uncertainty about how fully international fans will show up across all 16 host cities. But for the brands activating in grocery aisles, sports bars, and digital feeds, that uncertainty is largely irrelevant. The consumer marketing machine runs whether or not every stadium seat is filled.<\/p>\n

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup Is All About Beverage Wars <\/h2>\n

Michelob Ultra<\/a> secured the crown as the Official Beer Sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026<\/a>, and Anheuser-Busch InBev is not playing subtle. The brand commissioned an entirely new Superior Player of the Match<\/em> MVP trophy \u2014 designed by acclaimed artist Victor Solomon, the mind behind the NBA’s Larry O’Brien trophy \u2014 to be awarded after every one of the 104 matches, determined by fan vote. Then, just this week, the brand launched its full-scale national campaign<\/a> \u2014 “The Superior Match” \u2014 starring Lionel Messi alongside Christian Pulisic, Guillermo Ochoa, Ronaldo Naz\u00e1rio, Alex Morgan, and Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton. The activation suite includes Pitchside Club fan hubs in host cities and a Superior Soccer Shootout<\/em> weekly ticket giveaway at thousands of bars and restaurants nationwide. This is a 360-degree campaign \u2014 not a logo on an LED board.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Budweiser<\/a> is running a cinematic campaign called “Let It Pour”<\/em> \u2014 featuring Erling Haaland and former Liverpool and Germany manager J\u00fcrgen Klopp, created with Grey Global. It leans into emotional catharsis \u2014 the buildup and release that defines elite football \u2014 while paying tribute to Budweiser’s 40-year World Cup sponsorship legacy. That’s institutional brand memory most companies can only dream of.<\/p>\n

Now here\u2019s where the category gets genuinely interesting for me: the best beer story of this World Cup may belong to a brand that isn\u2019t an official FIFA sponsor at all. Modelo Especial<\/a> \u2014 currently the No. 1 beer in the United States by dollar sales<\/a> \u2014 is making its largest media investment in soccer to date, built around a “Cerveza for F\u00fatbol”<\/em> platform and a “Best Seat in the House”<\/em> campaign running across TV, social, digital, and out-of-home. The brand will sponsor every pre-game World Cup broadcast on Telemundo<\/a> and will have a presence before, during, and after all 104 Spanish-language matches \u2014 without spending a dollar on official FIFA sponsorship rights. That\u2019s smart marketing in my book! The campaign features players Edson \u00c1lvarez and Ra\u00fal Jim\u00e9nez of Mexico, Diego Luna of the U.S., David Ospina of Colombia, and Raphinha of Brazil, plus a limited-edition apparel capsule with Italian sportswear label Kappa. For retailers in markets with large Hispanic communities, Modelo’s activation is the most important non-official brand play of this entire tournament.<\/p>\n

Coors Light<\/a> is trying to crash the party with “The Coooors Call”<\/em> \u2014 a Droga5-created campaign<\/a> that transposes the long “O” in a soccer announcer\u2019s goal call directly into the Coors Light name. (It\u2019s also timed to the brand\u2019s release of its first nonalcoholic beer). <\/p>\n

Miller Lite<\/a> has taken the match ball itself as its marketing vehicle: a limited-edition “Miller Time MVP Matchball”<\/a> \u2014 a white and gold soccer ball 1.5 times larger than regulation size, priced at $19.75 (a somewhat tacky nod to 1975, the year Miller Lite was created) \u2014 that holds a 12-pack of beer, available through limited drops<\/a> on May 20 and June 3. The campaign, created with agency Mischief, is called “Miller Time is on U.S.”<\/em> \u2014 a play on words for the home tournament. It’s the kind of ownable physical retail moment that stops a shopper cold in the beer aisle.<\/p>\n

Heineken<\/a> is doing something no other alcohol brand in this space has attempted. Rather than a sweepstakes or a celebrity spot, the brand has launched Heineken Fan Volunteers<\/a> \u2014 a first-of-its-kind initiative<\/a> that turns Volunteer Time Off (VTO), an underused workplace benefit, into a way for fans to give back to their communities and watch matches during working hours. The insight driving it: <\/em>over half of U.S. desk workers admit they’ve lied to their employer<\/em><\/a> to watch a soccer match, and 40% of this summer’s World Cup matches air during U.S. work hours. Heineken is also increasing its soccer marketing spend 189% year over year and will run watch parties across Los Angeles, Houston, Philadelphia, New York, Miami, and Dallas throughout the summer. Retailers near Heineken’s target demographics should take note of the brand’s community-first framing \u2014 and stock accordingly.<\/p>\n

Buchanan\u2019s<\/a> \u2014 Diageo\u2019s Scotch whisky brand and a cornerstone of the Latino premium spirits market \u2014 is celebrating Latino community and culture<\/a> through a collaboration with reggaeton star Rauw Alejandro, on-site activations, and a limited-edition bottle collection. And their Casamigos tequila<\/a> is running a sweepstakes tied to World Cup tickets. <\/p>\n

At the very top of the luxury ladder, Taittinger Champagne<\/a> has become the tournament’s official champagne with limited-edition FIFA World Cup bottles \u2014 a signal of how far the sport’s premium halo now reaches.<\/p>\n

Coca-Cola<\/a> \u2014 a FIFA partner since 1974 and the official soft drink of the 2026 tournament \u2014 has launched a global campaign called “Bubbling Up”<\/em>, built around a new anthem featuring J Balvin, Amber Mark, Steve Vai, and Travis Barker. A companion campaign, “Uncanned Emotions”<\/em>, presents the match experience from the point of view of Coke cans and bottles. Coca-Cola CMO Shakir Moin has described the strategy as “de-averaging at scale”<\/em> \u2014 hyper-personalizing the global opportunity market by market, community by community. More critically for retailers: Coca-Cola has partnered with Panini<\/a> to embed exclusive collectible stickers behind peel-back labels on 500ml bottles of Coca-Cola Original Taste and Coke Zero Sugar \u2014 a marketing ploy that drove 28 million label scans<\/a> during the brand\u2019s 2022 World Cup campaign. <\/p>\n

Powerade<\/a> \u2014 Coca-Cola\u2019s sports drink brand and the Official Sports Drink of FIFA World Cup 2026<\/a> \u2014 launched its “Power Your Fate”<\/em> platform in April, featuring Spain\u2019s Lamine Yamal and Brazil\u2019s Rodrygo Goes. The focus on preparation and discipline gives Powerade a long activation runway. According to Beverage Digest data<\/a>, PepsiCo\u2019s Gatorade holds 58.8% of the U.S. sports drink market versus Powerade’s 17.9%. This is Powerade’s biggest swing at closing that gap \u2014 and it’s built as a four-year platform<\/a> extending through the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and the LA 2028 Olympics.<\/p>\n

Celsius<\/a>, the energy drink brand \u2014 a Gen Z phenomenon with approximately 20% dollar share of the U.S. energy drink category \u2014 has launched “The Surge” campaign<\/a>, featuring soccer pros Weston McKennie, Declan Rice, and Hirving Lozano, alongside DJ Diplo and creator Marlon Garcia, with a limited-edition Electric Vibe<\/em> flavor and a reimagined slogan: “Live. Fit. Goal.”<\/a> While Celsius has no official FIFA sponsorship, it will have in-game branding, fan activations, and sampling at nine U.S. matches, plus a partnership with French star Eduardo Camavinga. It’s the most aggressive energy drink play in World Cup history and speaks directly to the younger, higher-income fan the YouGov data identified.<\/p>\n

Pepsi<\/a>, also not an official FIFA sponsor, is running “Home of Banter”<\/a> \u2014 starring David Beckham \u2014 and doubling down entirely on fan culture: playful exchanges, memes, and real-time social reactions. It’s a second-screen strategy executed through a first-screen face, and it costs far less than an official sponsorship while buying just as much consumer attention.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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Beyond the Beverage Aisle: Snacks, Candy, and the \u201cMini Super Bowl\u201d Moment<\/h2>\n

The food and CPG activation around this World Cup is the deepest I\u2019ve seen for any soccer tournament (or any sporting event for that matter) in North America \u2014 and it signals something important: brands are treating each of the 104 matches as a discrete consumer engagement opportunity, not just the tournament as a whole.<\/p>\n

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An example of a Lay’s FIFA display in Gelson’s Santa Monica, California<\/span><\/p>\n

Phil Lempert<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Lay’s<\/a> \u2014 the Official Snack of FIFA World Cup 2026 \u2014 is the most instructive case study in what sophisticated World Cup marketing looks like. The brand’s “No Lay’s, No Game”<\/em> campaign is built around what Marketing Dive<\/a> calls “scaled intimacy”<\/em> \u2014 a 4-million-follower WhatsApp group featuring Messi, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Alexia Putellas, and Steve Carell, combined with a hidden-camera supermarket stunt where shoppers carrying Lay’s are invited to an exclusive watch party. The WhatsApp integration, the celebrity layering, the in-supermarket moment of discovery \u2014 this is not a TV commercial. This is a retail experience designed to make every snack aisle feel like a VIP lounge.<\/p>\n

Mondel\u0113z International<\/a> is treating each World Cup match as a “mini Super Bowl moment”<\/a> \u2014 and activating accordingly. The company’s Chips Ahoy brand is reaching Gen Z through partnerships with soccer stars, limited-time offers including a dulce de leche flavor, and a sweepstakes. This is the kind of limited-time offer architecture that moves units at retail and gives category managers a legitimate reason to build secondary displays.<\/p>\n

Ferrero North America<\/a> is making its largest marketing commitment in company history<\/a> \u2014 a $100 million investment \u2014 backed by a “Go All In”<\/em> promotion starring Tom Brady, seven-time Super Bowl champion, now playing soccer\u2019s biggest fan on screen. The spot, created by Anomaly and airing across Tubi, Netflix, Amazon, HBO, Roku, and Paramount, invites consumers to buy any two Ferrero products and scan QR codes at goallinandwin.com<\/a> for a chance to win $1 million \u2014 through July 31. Brands included: Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Bueno, Butterfinger, Tic Tac, Keebler, Blue Bunny, and more. Getting consumers to buy two products at once seeds cross-brand discovery across Ferrero\u2019s entire portfolio \u2014 turning a sweepstakes into a loyalty machine. What\u2019s surprising to me is that they aren\u2019t including any of their WK Kellogg\u2019s Breakfast cereals especially Special K. <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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What Shoppers Should Know<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s the bottom line for consumers: we are about to be marketed to with a ferocity and sophistication you’ve never seen from a sporting event on American soil. These campaigns are not just ads \u2014 they are omnichannel systems designed to follow you from the stadium to your smartphone to your supermarket shelf.<\/p>\n

The scale is unprecedented. Lay’s 4-million-member WhatsApp group<\/a> alone represents one of the largest direct brand-to-consumer communities ever built around a sporting event. Verizon<\/a> \u2014 the Official Telecommunications Sponsor \u2014 is already delivering personal video calls from soccer legends to fans, with SVP Ricardo Aspiazu explaining their goal plainly: not impressions, but core memories. That’s the shift every brand in this tournament is chasing \u2014 emotional ownership, not just eyeballs.<\/p>\n

Even categories you wouldn\u2019t expect are in the game. Huggies<\/a> is running a social campaign<\/a> encouraging couples to time a pregnancy so parental leave aligns with the June tournament \u2014 “do it for the team.” It\u2019s absurd and brilliant simultaneously, and it’s a reminder that when you have 6 billion potential viewers, every aisle in the supermarket becomes a World Cup aisle.<\/p>\n

When the 1994 World Cup came to the United States<\/a>, it changed American sports culture in ways we’re still living with. Thirty-two years later, the game is back \u2014 and the marketing apparatus surrounding it is orders of magnitude larger, smarter, and more culturally fluent than anything we’ve seen before.<\/p>\n

From Michelob Ultra<\/a>\u2019s fan-voted MVP trophy and Modelo<\/a>‘s Telemundo dominance, to Coca-Cola<\/a>‘s gamified label mechanics, Celsius<\/a>‘s “Live. Fit. Goal.” Gen Z play, Ferrero<\/a>‘s $100 million Tom Brady bet, and Nike<\/a>‘s AeroFit apparel revolution \u2014 the 2026 World Cup is a masterclass in how brands use the world’s biggest stage to rebuild, reposition, and reimagine their relationships with consumers. The brands that win will be the ones that make the shopper feel like a participant, not just an audience.<\/p>\n

Retailers who treat the 2026 World Cup as a promotional event will get some incremental lift. Retailers who treat it as a cultural moment will build consumer relationships that outlast the final whistle. <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

Read More<\/a>
\n Phil Lempert<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JUNE 11: Detailed view of the 2026 World Cup trophy during the unveiling of the countdown clock 1 year ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at General Prim on June 11, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Cristopher Rogel Blanquet\/Getty Images) Getty Images And if you\u2019re a grocery retailer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":907289,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1156,644],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-907288","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-coming","8":"category-world"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=907288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/907289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=907288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=907288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=907288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}