In a matter of months, the world’s attention will be on North America for 39 days as Canada, Mexico and the United States host the pinnacle event in global sports – the FIFA World Cup 26™.
Soccer’s exponential growth in the U.S. following the 1994 FIFA World Cup 26™ has been remarkable. Youth soccer participation nearly doubled in the 1990s¹, Major League Soccer (MLS) had a successful launch in 1996, the U.S. Women’s National Team continued to dominate on the global stage, and the introduction of global soccer culture to new audiences cultivated a growing domestic passion for leagues like Serie A, La Liga, and the English Premier League.
Marketers across North America are facing enormous pressure to answer, what seems to be a simple question, “How can I build a strategy that takes advantage of the excitement and the lasting impact that the FIFA World Cup 26™ will bring to the game of soccer domestically?” According to rEvolution research, U.S. soccer fans are looking for brands that drive real impact within the grassroots soccer community.
With fans valuing brands that drive impact at the community level, the natural next question is where those marketing dollars can make the greatest impact for the highest ROI.
Furthermore, according to rEvolution’s research, MLS ranked highest amongst all U.S.-based soccer leagues in perceived grassroots and community alignment. Brands that are looking to reach an affluent fan base that is younger and more diverse than the general population can find partnership success within the MLS ecosystem. Apparel, Hotel and Airline brands should have a particular eye on the MLS, as the fan base is more than 40% more likely than the general public to be in the market to make a purchase from those categories². While sponsorship pricing is dependent on property, assets, and category deals with MLS, individual team sponsorships can be executed from mid-six-figures to low-seven-figures, making the league attractive for brands that require a lower cost of entry.
When focusing on grassroots activation, the question of how to identify the right property for brands to align with becomes clearer. While sponsorship selection criteria should always be specific to a brand’s identity, culture, and business objectives, having an authentic tie to the local community is imperative to the success of the relationship. Cities where organizations have corporate headquarters or established business operations should be prioritized to allow for enhanced employee engagement opportunities that amplify the brand’s dedication to the local community.
However, the MLS is not the only option for brands looking to make a localized impact within soccer. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) continues to provide new engagement opportunities for brands with the addition of Denver Summit FC and Boston Legacy FC, their 15th and 16th team respectively, in 2026. While NWSL fans are similar to their MLS counterparts in their affluence, diversity, and youth, they are differentiated by being predominantly female and having a larger proportion of avid fans². Similar to the MLS, NWSL fans are more than 40% more likely than the general public to be in the market to make purchases within the Apparel, Hotel and Airline categories – making brands in those industries ripe to turn an investment in soccer into bottom line business impact.
Over 75% of soccer fans find stadium naming rights and kit sponsorships highly memorable³, and with new NWSL franchises continuing to pop up, brands have unique opportunities to drive impact via integrated sponsorships that offer these ownership positions. These sponsorships, when executed strategically, provide high visibility for brands; the devil is in the details when negotiating and activating these deals to ensure ROI. Negotiating assets that allow for community-related, grassroots activation ensures that mass awareness is properly supported with on-the-ground brand engagement. Without localized engagement, brands run the risk of simply being a name or logo that is remembered as opposed to leaving a legacy in their community.
Insights from rEvolution’s research are reflected in practice through American Family Insurance’s soccer sponsorships. The insurance provider has built a robust portfolio of MLS partnerships in Atlanta, St. Louis, Denver, and Seattle. Specifically, the kit sponsorship of Atlanta United provides the company standout visibility to soccer fans in Georgia and across the country. What’s more, they support their premier ownership position in these key markets with impactful grassroots soccer programs that bring the game to underserved communities – providing another touchpoint for soccer fans to positively associate the brand’s local connection. American Family Insurance’s multi-pronged approach to soccer is both targeted in where they activate and how they show up and support the communities in which it serves.
For marketers, FIFA World Cup 26™ represents a rare inflection point – a global spectacle that will once again ignite soccer fandom in the U.S. and across the globe. Defining a holistic strategy that authentically reaches an extremely diverse and locally engaged fan base will be paramount for brands that look to enter the soccer space with authenticity and purpose.
Through strategic investments in MLS and/or NWSL, marketers can create meaningful impact that positions their brand as a true supporter of the world’s most popular sport – the beautiful game – at a localized level.
¹ Source: U.S. Youth Soccer
² Source: YouGov
³ Source: rEvolution
