By Colin Mokhtary, Account Coordinator, Suzy

In December 2022, I was standing in a crowded LA bar watching the World Cup Final between Argentina and France. When Lionel Messi scored his second goal, the room erupted – total strangers hugged, beer spilled everywhere, and phones shot into the air to capture a moment that felt almost cinematic. I remember thinking: this wasn’t just about football. It was about connection, emotion, and identity. That’s when you realize: the World Cup is the world’s most powerful shared story.

Next summer, that story returns even bigger. The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, hosted across 16 cities in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and projected to attract 5 billion viewers worldwide. For brands, it’s not just another major sports event – it’s a cultural supernova where global emotion, national pride, and digital fandom collide.

This is where the lines between sport, identity, and consumption blur – and where Suzy helps brands make sense of it all.

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The global stage: The world’s biggest moment of collective attention

No other event unites so many cultures, time zones, and emotions. FIFA expects the 2026 tournament to surpass even the 2022 edition in Qatar, which drew over 1.5 billion viewers for the final alone (FIFA). That final – an instant classic that saw Messi finally lift the trophy – was one of the most-watched sporting moments in history, transcending language, borders, and politics.

But the World Cup is more than numbers. It’s a reflection of global culture. Every four years, it reveals what’s changed in media, technology, and values, from the rise of creator-driven sports content to AI-powered fan engagement, eco-conscious event design, and new consumer rituals around watch parties and social commerce.

Brands can’t just advertise around the World Cup anymore. They need to participate within it. And that means understanding fandom as a social identity, not just an audience segment.

The 2022 tournament showed what happens when cultural moments go global in real time. Viral TikToks of Moroccan fans celebrating in the streets, Japanese supporters cleaning the stadium after matches, and Argentina’s jubilant parade that drew five million people – all became part of the collective story. For brands, those moments proved one thing: people don’t just watch the World Cup – they live it.

Fandom has evolved: From spectators to stakeholders

In 2026, the way fans engage will look radically different from the 2014 or 2018 tournaments.

• Gen Z fandom = participation. This generation does more than just watch games. They remix them. Expect TikTok edits, fan-made commentary, AI-generated goal recaps, and viral “fan cams” to dominate.
• Social media has made fans global. You might live in Chicago but root for Brazil; your TikTok algorithm doesn’t care about borders.
• Digital identity is the new team jersey. Fans express allegiance through emojis, avatars, playlists, and even NFTs.
• Fans expect transparency and purpose. They support athletes and brands that align with their values, like authenticity, equality, and sustainability.

For brands, this new fandom is both an opportunity and a challenge. You’re no longer marketing to fans. You’re marketing with them.

That’s where tools like Suzy Signals give marketers a critical edge. By identifying microtrends in fan sentiment and social behavior, Suzy helps brands see what’s resonating in real time, whether it’s a viral goal celebration, a national rivalry, or a meme that’s crossing continents.

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The U.S. moment: Soccer’s coming of age

The 2026 World Cup marks a turning point for the U.S. sports landscape. For decades, soccer was seen as an import. Now, it’s becoming a core pillar of American identity.

• Soccer participation among Gen Alpha (ages 6–14) has surpassed baseball (Sports & Fitness Industry Association) – a clear signal of shifting cultural priorities.
• MLS viewership has doubled since 2020, fueled by Apple TV’s global deal and the arrival of icons like Lionel Messi at Inter Miami (The Athletic).
• Latino audiences – already the most passionate U.S. soccer demographic – are now being joined by multicultural Gen Z fans who see soccer as global, inclusive, and emotional.
• Corporate America is paying attention. Major U.S. brands from Coca-Cola to Nike are already building campaigns for 2026 that merge sports, culture, and tech.

For brands, this means a seismic opportunity to speak to a new, blended identity – one that’s American, global, and social all at once. Campaigns can’t just lean on patriotism; they have to celebrate connection.

Expect major host cities like New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami to become brand battlegrounds. From pop-up fan villages to branded transit experiences, activations will stretch far beyond the stadium. The smartest marketers will use Suzy’s real-time feedback loops to test creative and measure fan sentiment city by city, capturing the pulse of fans on both sides of the border.

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Global culture, local emotion

One of the World Cup’s greatest powers is its ability to localize global emotion. Whether it’s Argentina’s victory parade in Buenos Aires or Morocco’s underdog run that captivated Africa and the Arab world, the tournament ignites cultural pride unlike anything else.

In 2026, we’ll see that same energy play out across North America’s most diverse cities:

• In Mexico City, where fútbol is religion, street festivals and brand partnerships will merge seamlessly with national pride.
• In Toronto, home to dozens of diaspora communities, brands can lean into multicultural storytelling and heritage pride.
• In Los Angeles, a city that thrives on creativity, content, and crossover culture, expect brands to turn fandom into entertainment.

For global brands, the challenge will be balancing local authenticity with worldwide reach. Suzy’s ability to segment and test messaging by culture, language, and geography ensures campaigns resonate both globally and locally.

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The World Cup in the age of the algorithm

The 2022 tournament was the most digitally consumed World Cup ever – more than 5 billion interactions across social platforms (FIFA Digital Report). In 2026, that number could double.

For brands, that means:

• Short-form storytelling is king. TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels will be the new highlight reels.
• AI-enhanced fan experiences – from predictive brackets to personalized match summaries – will be mainstream.
• Commerce will be social-first. Expect collaborations between streaming platforms and retail partners to create shoppable fan moments.
• Second-screen culture dominates. Fans will watch matches while interacting in live chats, fantasy leagues, and betting apps.

The challenge: attention fragmentation. With fans scrolling, posting, betting, and watching all at once, a 30-second ad won’t cut it.

Suzy’s agile research platform helps brands identify which content types, tones, and platforms connect best by demographic, whether that’s Gen Z meme humor or nostalgic storytelling for Gen X. Instead of guessing what will land, Suzy lets you test and iterate in real time.

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Generational perspectives: What the Cup means to each fan group

• Gen Z: Global, expressive, co-creative. This generation thrives on digital participation – creating TikTok edits, memes, and immersive fan content. Brands can engage them through interactive activations, AR filters, and social challenges that allow them to co-create the moment.

• Millennials: Emotional, nostalgic, and values-driven. They grew up during soccer’s rise in the U.S. and connect to its emotional storytelling. Purpose-led campaigns that celebrate connection, inclusivity, and shared memory will resonate most with them.

• Gen X: Loyal and community-oriented. They love the social rituals of the World Cup – office pools, family gatherings, and neighborhood watch parties. Brands should focus on community-based promotions, local events, and family-oriented activations.

• Boomers: Legacy-focused and patriotic. For them, the World Cup represents tradition and pride. They respond to classic storytelling, broadcast media, and nostalgia-driven creative that links soccer’s legacy to national identity.

Generational differences will define how brands activate. Gen Z will drive the social narrative; Millennials will power online conversation and values-based engagement; Gen X and Boomers will bring the household and hospitality spend. Successful campaigns will meet each group where they are – and make them feel part of something bigger.

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From Doha to Dallas: The evolving World Cup narrative

Every host nation adds its flavor. The Qatar 2022 World Cup highlighted both spectacle and scrutiny – a high-tech tournament wrapped in geopolitical debate. The 2026 edition, spanning North America’s tri-nation collaboration, will center around diversity, sustainability, and unity.

Expect major cultural moments in cities like Los Angeles, Toronto, and Mexico City, where local culture will fuse with global fandom. Brands have the chance to localize meaningfully, celebrating community pride without losing global relevance.

Using Suzy Speaks, marketers can capture consumer language and sentiment across these different markets, understanding how Mexican fans express pride compared to U.S. fans, or how Canadian audiences interpret inclusivity narratives. This nuance turns data into empathy, and empathy into strategy.

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Case studies: When brands win the World Cup

• Nike’s 2022 “Footballverse” ad blurred generations and realities – mixing Ronaldo with Mbappé in a multiverse showdown. It generated over 300 million views and proved the power of nostalgia fused with innovation.
• Budweiser’s “Bring Home the Buds” campaign survived last-minute alcohol bans in Qatar by pivoting instantly to a global social giveaway, turning a setback into a viral win.
• Adidas’ “Impossible Is Nothing” campaign elevated cultural diversity and heroism, showing that relevance can be purpose-driven and profitable.
• Coca-Cola’s “Believing Is Magic” brought fans together through AR packaging, turning every bottle into a portal for World Cup experiences.

Each of these examples shares one thing: speed and insight. Brands that could read the cultural moment in real time came out on top. That’s the kind of agility Suzy’s tools – Suzy Signals, Suzy Speaks, and agile concept testing – make possible.

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How Suzy helps brands win the World Cup

Suzy empowers marketers to:

• Identify global and local fan insights through rapid quantitative research.
• Listen to fans in their own words using Suzy Speaks for real-time sentiment.
• Test creative, copy, and partnerships across languages and demographics.
• Spot emerging fan behaviors early with Suzy Signals trend tracking.

In a landscape where cultural moments evolve hourly, Suzy helps brands stay as fast and flexible as the fans themselves. With Suzy’s agile tools, marketers can measure audience emotion, creative resonance, and regional differences before the whistle even blows.

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The takeaway: The new playbook for fandom

The World Cup isn’t just about who wins on the field – it’s about what happens off it. It’s about community, identity, and shared emotion at global scale. For brands, it’s a once-in-a-decade opportunity to build belonging.

But it requires listening first. Understanding how fans talk, feel, and connect. That’s how you move from “marketing to fans” to “co-creating with them.”

As I think back to that night in the LA bar, I remember how Messi’s smile and tears turned millions of strangers into one global team. That’s the power of fandom – and the playbook for modern brands.

With Suzy, you can capture that same spark – through insights, empathy, and action – so your brand doesn’t just watch the moment, but becomes part of it.

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Want to learn how Suzy can help your brand win during the 2026 World Cup?
Book a demo or explore Suzy Speaks today.

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