BITE’s round up of marketing lessons from the World Cup

With drama both on and off the pitch this year’s FIFA World Cup has been one of the most talked about tournaments in history. 

Despite pre-tournament controversy making fans and brands cautious, England’s 2 am clash against Mexico at the Azteca in Mexico City amassed 9.1 million viewers, making it the most watched live event at that time in history. The players, the games and the fans underline the power of storytelling. 

From revoked red cards to rigging conspiracies, hydration breaks and ad breaks, despite the confusing kick off times, community has come out on top. This year’s FIFA men’s World Cup has been full of marketing lessons. 

Marketing lessons for the WTF World Cup 

In the midst of the most polarising men’s World Cup in history, we asked marketing leaders how to navigate unprecedented brand reputational risks.

‘Every second can make a difference’ 

Duracell has unveiled a three-year global partnership with LALIGA to become the ‘Official Partner of Added Time’. Javier Hernandez Reta, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Duracell, spoke with BITE’s Nicola Kemp on the emotional appeal of football and finding the space to be creative.

Is the Men’s World Cup losing its marketing muscle? Part One and Part Two 

In BITE’s World Cup themed Big Questions, marketing leaders have their say on if the World Cup is losing its marketing muscle in the age of experience.

The World Cup's new stadium is the living room

Later kickoffs mean fans are enjoying matches from the comfort of their homes. Justin Healy, Founder of Spark Market Research shares how brands can get involved in the retail opportunity.

Arsenal defines a new blueprint for global sports marketing 

Ben Essen, Chief Strategy Officer at Iris shares how national teams can borrow from Arsenal’s playbook and build on the power of community.

The 2026 World Cup will not be won by rights alone

As World Cup value moves beyond official rights, the smartest brands will be those that understand where football culture is really being created, writes Mike McDonnell, Head of Partnerships at ZEAL.

Why women’s football is winning the World Cup of brand behaviour

Nicola Barzotelli, New Business Development Manager at Dinosaur shares why women’s sport is successfully connecting with an ever-evolving audience of fans. 

How English Football's lower leagues became the most compelling narrative in sport 

Investment in underdog stories has the power to capture the imagination of communities, writes Tom Wild, Head of Strategy at Fuse.