The biggest tournament in history arrives with an unprecedented strategic window for brands: prime-time matches, more Latin American national teams, and an audience that is radically more digital and diverse.

The 2026 World Cup is not just the most ambitious edition in the tournament’s history. For Latin America, it represents a convergence of factors never seen in any previous edition: ten national teams from the region qualified, matches will air in prime time, and an audience that experiences football in ways that would have been unimaginable a decade ago.

With 48 national teams, 104 matches, and three host countries, FIFA projects that more than 6 billion people will follow the tournament in some way. For Latin America, whose national teams have won the World Cup 10 times, the competition arrives with a particularly strong emotional weight.

An audience that no longer watches football in silence

The profile of the Latin American fan has changed profoundly. The dominant age bracket today is between 22 and 33 years old, with a strong presence of Gen Z and millennials. This segment does not just consume the sport; it comments on it in real time, amplifies opinions on social media, and lives every match with a phone in hand.

The data is striking: 41% of fans already watch matches through digital platforms, and 51% use social media simultaneously while watching on television. This turns every match into a 90-minute window of continuous engagement, an opportunity that traditional communication strategies, designed for a passive consumer, are simply not built to capture.

“In 2026, the fan is already in the middle of a conversation that never stops. Brands that show up with a prepared post after the match are already too late,” says Livia Gammardella, Head of Marketing and Digital at Latam Intersect.

Three profiles, three different conversations

Not all fans are the same, and treating them as if they were is one of the most common mistakes in communication strategies for major sporting events. Audience analysis identifies three clearly different archetypes: the casual fan, who gets caught up in the spirit during important matches but disconnects if their team is eliminated; the devoted fan, loyal to their team and routines, who sees any brand opportunism as disrespect; and the fanatic, for whom football is identity and belonging, and who grants loyalty only to those who demonstrate a genuine connection to the sport.

To these three segments are added fast-growing audiences that global campaigns often ignore: women fans, whose digital engagement continues to grow steadily, and supporters who come to football through pop culture, memes, and music.

Prime time as a strategic window

One of the most significant differences from the last two World Cups is the broadcast schedule. In 2018 and 2022, the time zones of Russia and Qatar pushed matches into Latin American mornings or afternoons. In 2026, most matches will fall in prime time across the region, opening an opportunity that practically did not exist in recent editions.

“A World Cup in prime time was exactly what retail needed. People will not watch the matches alone: they will gather with family, order food, buy products. The brand that uses cultural intelligence to understand the localized rituals of its fan will build far more connection than it could expect,” says Claudia Daré, partner and co-founder of Latam Intersect.

The Latin American fan of 2026 is younger, more digital, and more diverse than in any previous edition. Digital platforms have shifted from being support channels to becoming the main stage. And while the conversation is global in scale, it is always local in content.

The tournament will unfold simultaneously on two screens. Instagram works as a visual archive and positioning channel. TikTok is where trends are born, rewarding native creativity over expensive production. X is the public square for minute-by-minute conversation, with relevance windows that close in a matter of seconds. And physical spaces, bars, fan fests, family gatherings, regain prominence that the schedules of the last two editions had reduced considerably.

Treating them as a single distribution channel is, according to specialists, the fastest way for a brand to go unnoticed.

The 2026 World Cup arrives with an architecture unlike any previous edition: more countries, more matches, more screens, and an audience that does not wait for kickoff to start the conversation. In Latin America, where football functions as a shared language across generations, social classes, and borders, the tournament promises to be a moment of cultural cohesion on a historic scale.

Willemstad, Curacao, June 10th, 2026

New hero video brings together four football icons as Stake aims to place fans at the centre of the global football conversation

Stake Unveils Ambassador-Led Football Campaign

Stake has unveiled a new international football campaign featuring brand ambassadors Iker Casillas, Sergio Agüero, Eden Hazard and Patrice Evra, bringing together four of the game’s most recognisable figures in a hero video designed to capture the anticipation, excitement and emotion surrounding one of football’s biggest global tournaments.

The campaign, titled “It’s All At Stake”, forms part of Stake’s wider strategy to engage football fans across key international markets during a period expected to dominate sporting and cultural conversations around the world. The full campaign film is now available to watch on YouTube.

Four Football Icons, One Global Campaign

Created in partnership with specialist production teams, the campaign follows the four former internationals as they navigate the excitement, pressure and unpredictability that make major football tournaments such a unique global spectacle.

Combining humour, personality and football nostalgia, the creative reflects Stake’s continued investment in culturally relevant content that resonates with sports fans beyond the action on the pitch.

The campaign marks the first time Casillas, Agüero, Hazard and Evra have appeared together in a Stake production. Collectively, the quartet represent some of football’s most memorable moments of the modern era, having won major domestic, European and international honours throughout their careers.

Multi-Channel Distribution Strategy

The hero film is being distributed across Stake’s digital channels, including YouTube, Instagram and X, supported by ambassador amplification and additional promotional activity across international markets.

Alongside the main campaign film, Stake has released supporting social content across its channels, including an Instagram Reel showcasing key moments from the campaign.

The campaign has also been amplified through Stake’s official X account, where football fans can engage with and share campaign content.

The campaign has been designed to drive engagement among football audiences while reinforcing Stake’s position as one of the most visible brands operating within the sports and entertainment space.

Connecting Fans Through Football’s Biggest Moments

Football remains one of the world’s most powerful cultural forces, bringing together hundreds of millions of fans across continents, languages and generations.

Through its growing roster of ambassador partnerships and football-focused content initiatives, Stake continues to invest in campaigns that connect with supporters during the sport’s most significant moments.

The launch follows a period of sustained growth in Stake’s global sports marketing activity. By working with internationally recognised athletes and creating original content around major sporting events, the company has continued to strengthen its presence among football audiences worldwide.

As anticipation builds throughout the tournament period, Stake’s latest campaign aims to celebrate the passion, conversation and shared experiences that make football’s biggest occasions so memorable for fans everywhere.

About Stake

Stake is one of the world’s leading betting and entertainment brands, serving millions of customers across regulated and permitted markets globally. Through strategic partnerships, ambassador collaborations and original content initiatives, Stake continues to connect fans with sport’s biggest moments across football, combat sports, motorsport and other major sporting events.

Contact

Stake

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