FIFA World Cup 2026 to drive $10.5bn ad spend

The 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, is expected to drive $10.5 billion in global ad spend.

While audience reach remains significant, WARC Media finds the measurable impact on advertising growth is diminishing as fan attention fragments across multiple platforms.

Alex Brownsell, Head of Content, WARC Media: "This World Cup is no longer just about live matches—brands will engage with fans across touchpoints before, during and after matches have concluded. Media plans will include platforms that benefit from the conversation around the World Cup without the burden of bidding for rights—from creator content to podcasts, turning conversations around the games into powerful opportunities for connection and impact."

Diminishing returns on traditional ad spend

Despite record-breaking audiences and a $40.9 billion boost to global GDP, the World Cup’s incremental contribution to global ad growth is modest. WARC forecasts a 1.1 percent uplift in ad spend compared with the 2022 Qatar World Cup, down from a 2.8 percent increase in 2018. Host markets such as the US, Mexico, and Canada show inconsistent acceleration, with ad spend gains reflecting redistribution rather than net market growth.

Linear TV audiences continue to decline, while multiplatform and digital viewing rise. Qatar 2022 reached 2.87 billion viewers for at least one minute, yet linear reach fell 11.9 percent compared with 2018. Platforms including TikTok, YouTube, and Netflix are expanding the conversation around matches, creating engagement beyond traditional broadcasts.

Audience fragmentation creates new opportunities

As fan attention shifts toward conversation and commentary, non-rights holders can capitalise on late-night matches with podcasts, social media, and publishing content. In Western Europe, less than half of games will air during daytime hours, falling to just over a third in China.

Late-night scheduling also opens category opportunities for advertisers in restricted sectors, such as quick-service food delivery in the UK, which is limited by pre-9pm advertising regulations for high fat, sugar, and salt products.

Football remains the world’s most popular sport, with 51 percent of global respondents identifying as fans. Engagement during Qatar 2022 was strongest in Africa, Latin America, and MENA, while Europe’s largest audiences were in the UK and Germany. In the US, 37 percent of Americans expect their interest in football to rise over the next 18 months, supporting momentum ahead of 2026.

WARC Media’s Global Ad Trends: FIFA World Cup 2026 report highlights how brands must adapt to fragmented viewing and social conversation to maximise engagement and ROI.