Coca Cola targets wider US sports audience with early FIFA World Cup campaign

Coca-Cola’s early push toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on American football field and basketball arenas as it seeks to grow its soccer audience. The brand said its new global campaign is built around fan emotion and will run for months through digital activations and live experiences, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 Trophy Tour by Coca Cola and an expanded programme of content in the build-up to kick-off. Coca Cola global category president Arnab Roy said: “Football is more than a game; it’s a shared passion with a tapestry of emotions that unites billions. At Coca Cola, we believe in the power of shared experiences. "Our creative vision for this campaign is to harness the incredible energy of the FIFA World Cup and the rollercoaster of emotions that only this tournament can deliver, transforming them into real, tangible connections.” In the US, Coca Cola vice-president of marketing Stacy Jackson said the company is looking to widen the addressable audience: “Only talking to hardcore soccer fans in the U.S. is not enough.” The US creative approach has been built around familiar American sports settings that transition into soccer as the World Cup nears, with Coca Cola positioned as a constant across the moments fans already care about. The tagline is “Drink in the World Cup,” with the work aimed at attracting casual sports viewers as well as committed soccer audiences.Coca Cola said the global campaign begins with “Bubbling Up,” the first of three films created for the World Cup, and includes a preview of a new Coca Cola anthem ahead of its official release. The company said the anthem is performed by J Balvin, Amber Mark, Steve Vai and Travis Barker. Two further films are planned.Coca Cola said “Uncanned Emotions” is set for release in April 2026, with “No Better Feeling” scheduled to go live when the tournament begins in June. The company said the World Cup activation plan will include “digital and on-the-ground” activity intended to make Coca Cola “the essential companion” for fans during matches, with the Trophy Tour positioned as a centrepiece designed to give supporters close-up access to the competition prize. Coca Cola also confirmed it is continuing its partnership with Panini for FIFA World Cup 2026, including a custom sticker collection with physical and digital formats featuring athletes from clubs and federations competing at the tournament.Jackson said the company will judge the World Cup push using business measures including brand affinity, equity and sales volume, while also tracking whether Coca Cola becomes more closely associated with soccer viewing occasions in the US over the longer term.