The World Cup Comes Home: Why 2026 Should Be A Defining Moment for Your Brand

When the World Cup lands in North America in 2026, it will bring the world’s biggest sporting event to the forefront of American media consumption.

The last time the World Cup took place, in Qatar in 2022, matches aired during early morning and midday hours in the U.S. thanks to the 8- to 11-hour time difference— It couldn’t be more different this time around, with the tournament unfolding in real time across major U.S. cities and time zones. Fans will be engaged in real time when they’re most reachable: evenings, weekends, and during peak viewing hours.

With matches in 20 host cities, stadiums will be filled, screens will be lit up in bars and homes, and fan culture will permeate public spaces. This creates a rare moment where live sports, national attention, and cultural relevance converge.

It’s also potentially intimidating for brands. The World Cup is massive and hasn’t been played in the U.S. in over 30 years. Clearly, the playbook is going to be totally different this time. But look no further: Infillion gives brands the tools to activate inside this environment with TV-visible LED boards, in-stadium video board features, and digital creative synced to game flow—all integrated into live matchday moments and broadcast coverage.

The Messi Effect

Lionel Messi’s arrival in Major League Soccer changed the trajectory of the sport in the U.S. Tickets became scarce. Broadcast numbers rose. Fans started tuning in—and showing up—in record numbers. Local teams became global stories. The sport earned a level of cultural traction that was no longer limited to relatively small audiences of loyalists or to games that were being played overseas.

Infillion is embedded in this evolved landscape. We partner with Major League Soccer (MLS) and National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) stadiums nationwide, and our activations have powered campaigns there for brands like Topgolf, Paramount+, and FX. Whether it’s in-game LED signage or fan-facing halftime features, our in-stadium executions are built to deliver impact where the energy is loudest.

Audiences Are Growing Across Every Channel

MLS set records in 2024, with over 11 million fans attending matches and average attendance exceeding 23,000 per game. The NWSL set a new attendance record in 2024, as clubs averaged 11,250 fans in attendance, a 6% increase. These are not isolated numbers—they reflect a larger shift in the way American audiences are engaging with soccer, both live and on-screen. But when fans are watching a game, they’re all-in. They’re not necessarily going to be receptive to a brand message poking its way into the experience. This is especially true in soccer, with its 45-minute uninterrupted halves versus more traditionally American pro sports and their commercial break-friendly timeouts and flags.

Infillion’s CTV inventory and creative solutions are designed for this environment – and the tension it may create. We offer non-disruptive formats, all optimized for live sports streaming. Our Creative Studio works directly with brands to adapt and enhance video assets so they connect meaningfully during critical moments in the viewing experience.

Fan Engagement Starts Before the Stadium

Matchday behavior starts well before kickoff. Fans are on the move, gathering in fan zones, riding public transit, meeting at restaurants, and celebrating in city centers long after the final goal. Infillion’s research into the habits of sports fans has found that, more than ever, fans consider going to a live game to be an all-day experience enhanced by dining, shopping, and other activities. These moments are part of the overall experience—and they’re filled with media potential.

Through our DOOH reach of over 1 million screens, Infillion places brands in transit hubs, ride-share vehicles, restaurants, and high-foot-traffic areas across all 20 host cities.

Campaigns can be activated with real-time geofencing, daypart logic, and audience targeting, making them responsive to both time and location. This allows brands to show up in sync with the fan journey—not just around the match itself.

Attention Doesn’t End When the Match Does

Fans continue engaging long after the stadium clears—revisiting goals, sharing highlights, and extending the conversation across devices. Our research has found that postgame content, from recap videos to podcasts, is particularly popular with younger consumers: They consider it an essential part of the fan experience. Brands that can follow this behavior have the ability to drive stronger engagement and longer-term outcomes.

Infillion enables this through our location SDK and identity graph, XGraph, which connects in-person presence to cross-device audiences. We detect opted-in mobile devices at stadiums, bars, and fan zones, then retarget across CTV, display, audio, and mobile.

That continuity lets you build sequential messaging, deliver timely offers, and stay present in the post-game cycle—without missing a beat.

One Platform for End-to-End World Cup Activation

The 2026 World Cup will stretch across weeks of programming, thousands of live moments, and millions of audience touchpoints. Coordinating brand creative, placements, and targeting across that spectrum demands impeccable attention to infrastructure, precision, and creative adaptability.

Infillion brings together premium supply, dynamic creative, real-world identity resolution, and omnichannel execution in a single platform. Whether your brand is aiming for mass awareness, product lift, or on-site conversion, we connect the dots from in-stadium energy to digital delivery without fragmentation or guesswork.

Now Is the Time to Plan

It might seem early. But inventory across stadiums, screens, and city environments is already in motion. Early movers will have more flexibility, better access, and stronger presence when the global spotlight turns to the U.S.

Let’s get your brand in the game. Connect with Infillion to shape a 2026 campaign built for scale, precision, and fan-first storytelling.