Meet the Moment: Turning 2026’s Biggest Sporting Moment Into a Brand Advantage

 

The largest global sporting event in history is about to land in North America in 2026, and many organizations have not even started thinking about it.   

Whether your brand lives and breathes soccer (or “football” if you’re a true loyalist) or simply wants to reach massive, diverse audiences, you have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reach the consumers that come with soccer’s biggest stage in Summer 2026. Consider the scale: 

• 6.5 million fans attending matches  

• 1.5 billion global viewers 

• A full month (June 11-July 19) to reach consumers (plus, pre- and post-event marketing) 

• 104 matches | 48 teams | 16 host cities 

How can you make the most of the moment if you haven’t begun to plan? It’s not too late, and we’re laying out the first steps here to get you started. 

Evaluate Your Brand’s Opportunity (With 5 Questions) 

First, evaluate how your brand might benefit from activating around the excitement or how you might need to prepare.  Our Three Keys to Growth provide the foundation: 

Then, consider these five questions rooted in that framework: 

1. Are any of our priority markets host cities, and do we understand the nuances of each city (or have a partner who does)? 

2. Do we have a product, service or story that becomes more relevant when large groups – especially multicultural audiences – gather in one place? 

3. Are we looking for a powerful platform to build brand awareness or shift perception at scale? 

4. Should we scenario plan for potential risks around crowd activity, operations, staffing, community impact or political dynamics? 

5. Are we ready to compete for demand and attention in crowded digital spaces where fans are actively looking for what to do and where to go? 

Our Three Keys have been the underpinning of our work supporting clients like the Atlanta Braves, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, The Coca-Cola Company, Dallas Regional Chamber, Delta Air Lines and L.L.Bean to leverage cultural and experiential moments like this for decades. 

Understand the Local Opportunity in Key Host Cities

From there, geography becomes a major factor—especially for brands in or near host cities. 

Understanding the different stakeholders, complex landscapes and match timelines by market matters. Not every city will host a match every day. Among the 16 host cities, we know Atlanta, Dallas, New York/NJ and Los Angeles offer incredible visibility potential. 

For example, Dallas is not only projected to generate up to $2.1 billion in economic activity according to the City of Dallas, but it will also be the hub for global media with 5,000 journalists in the city as their base for covering the tournament. This is a great opportunity for media desksides, hosted events, and relevant pitches. The free festival for fans in Fair Park alone is estimated to draw an average of 35,000 attendees per day for 39 event days, making it one of the largest free public events in Dallas history. 

The Metro Atlanta Chamber estimates $503.2 million in economic impact to the state of Georgia from out-of-state visitor spending tied to the 2026 tournament across eight matches including a semifinal. And Atlanta alone is preparing to host 300,000+ visitors with some leaders projecting a potential city-wide impact of up to $1 billion through 2026’s biggest sports moment. With Atlanta being a key hub for international travel, it’s more than a destination — it’s a huge opportunity for transient mindshare. 

Greater Los Angeles projects $594 million in economic impact for LA County and ~150,000+ out-of-town visitors for just eight matches. And, in two years, the world’s gaze will be upon LA once again as the city gears up to host another massive sporting event in Summer 2028, so this is the perfect time to try something new. 

Plus, over half of Latino soccer fans say they’re likely to buy from brands that visibly support their teams — the very audience visiting host cities next summer.  

5 Ways Your Brand Can Activate

This is not just a sports moment, it’s a moment of cultural relevance bringing together the world’s best in lifestyle, music, fashion, travel, and food. 

The time is now to consider experiential activations, prepare for potential pain points or plan to capture demand when the world’s lens is focused on your city. Here are a few thought starters: 

1. Social Media: Develop and deploy themed content and campaigns to reach those traveling to your geographic area 

2. Paid Media: Reach audiences on-the-move with branded content that builds awareness and captures demand 

3. Internal Communications: Generate excitement among your employees around matches through internal competitions and jersey days. 

4. Hospitality: Buy tickets and host your most important audiences for in-person events or sponsor and activate at one of the many events surrounding the matches. Most don’t require a match ticket for participation, thus reaching an even broader audience. 

5. Reputation: Consider how your brand might be impacted by local events or crowds, and run drills with your internal teams to ensure operations aren’t negatively affected. 

The matches are set. The world is coming. We’re here to help you meet the moment. Reach out to our Moment Makers to schedule a working session.