Photo credit: Bank of America
Fan fests for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are taking over 13 host cities across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, and enthusiastic attendees have been packing into venues to engage with sponsor activations, soccer-themed gaming experiences, concerts and match screenings. Last Thursday, the FIFA Fan Festivals reached the 2 million visitor mark, with the three Mexican host cities—Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara—claiming an early lead in attracting the biggest crowds.
One of the fan fests’ main draws is the swag offered by participating brands, and soccer afficionados are clamoring to pick up as many freebies as possible before cheering on their favorite teams. The hottest giveaway item of the tournament? Bank of America’s personalized Fan Bands, which debuted on June 11 across all 11 U.S. host cities at FIFA Fan Festivals, stadium fan experiences, mobile tours and U.S. Soccer House in Venice Beach, CA.
Fans can build their free bracelet by choosing their cord band color in red, blue or black along with five beads, custom to national team colors and the host city’s landmarks and cultural elements. The ultra-viral BofA Fan Bands have been drawing hours-long lines, and have even prompted some venues to streamline the pickup process with wristbands and time slots.
Beyond the charm bracelets, let’s take a look at 10 more brand campaigns, activations and sweepstakes that are winning over global soccer fans across North America. And stay tuned for more experiential marketing coverage of the World Cup as the tournament continues.
adidas Home of Soccer
Back in March, adidas started building World Cup momentum with the Originals Night Market in West Hollywood, which celebrated the launch of its away kits and the cultural diversity of soccer fans through music and dance performances, local food vendors and on-site product customization. (Agency: Moment)
Now, the brand is presenting free Home of Soccer activations in L.A., New York, Toronto, Atlanta and Houston. There, attendees can cheer on their favorite teams at watch parties, hang at beer gardens, catch musical guests and the adiCup 3v3 tourney, or jump into a pickup game via the Plei App. adidas is also dropping exclusive products, soccer programming and surprises daily.
Photo: Courtesy of adidas Originals
Chewy Cuddle Shuttle
Emotions are running high during the tournament, so Chewy is offering fans around Miami the opportunity to get some comfort from therapy dogs. Starting June 25, the first-ever Chewy Cuddle Shuttle rolled into Brickell, the city’s financial district, and it will continue through Wynwood, Sunrise and Miami Beach this weekend with comfort dog cuddle sessions aboard the branded vehicle.
An Official Miami World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter, Chewy is helping with the revitalization of dog parks at Maurice A. Ferré Park and Bayfront Park, which will relaunch as Chewy Bark Park Bayfront and serve as the hub of the brand’s pet-friendly World Cup activities.
Photos: Courtesy of Chewy
Dove Men+Care’s The Commentators Activation
An Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Dove Men+Care arrived in Toronto on June 23 with The Commentators, a two-day activation where Canadian sports broadcasters Jay Onrait and Marissa Roberto set up at a broadcast desk at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre shopping mall to deliver World Cup-style play-by-play commentary for everyday moments.
Fans got in on the action by taking a photo or video with the activation and posting to social for the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Round of 32 World Cup match on July 2 at Toronto Stadium.
GoGo squeeZ’s Fueling the Fans Campaign
On June 13, GoGo squeeZ kicked off its first Fueling the Fans event at Penn Station to ensure soccer fans in NYC stayed energized while traveling to MetLife Stadium. The campaign came about after GoGo squeeZ asked tournament organizers to allow the brand to hand out free pouches to fans outside the stadium, but when no response came, GoGo squeeZ decided to activate its own pop-up series in three host cities: New York, L.A. and Kansas City. The Fruit Bush Brigade of brand ambassadors, decked out in head-to-toe greenery, is distributing GOGO Active Fruit Blend with Electrolytes and GOGO Protein products to consumers.
Photo: Courtesy of GoGo squeeZ
Michelob ULTRA Pitchside Club
The Official Beer Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Michelob ULTRA opened its Pitchside Club in Santa Monica, CA, with a VIP event on June 11 that brought together celebrities to enjoy an evening of performances by Ludacris, Disco Lines and DJ Pee .Wee and soccer jersey customization. The brand put on a drone show, featuring more than 2,500 drones and narration by USMNT star Christian Pulisic.
Created in partnership with the LA Galaxy Foundation, the soccer social hub at the Santa Monica Pier welcomed the public starting on June 12 for two weeks, and fans 21 and older could RSVP for free timed entry to watch matches daily, participate in soccer-themed games, and take in surprise appearances by sports legends and live shows from “Men in Blazers.”
Over in Las Vegas, Michelob ULTRA challenged consumers to guess how many beers it would take to fill the Sphere. Fans commented their guesses on the brand’s Instagram post from June 12-18, and one randomly selected winner received a summer’s worth of beer and a prepaid card for Michelob ULTRA to be used over the course of the tournament.
Photo: Courtesy of Michelob ULTRA
Nike Soccer Presents The Corner Kick at Shoe Palace
Nike Soccer and Shoe Palace partnered on The Corner Kick, a monthlong, community-driven experience built around the soccer culture in L.A. The World Cup watch parties are taking place at Shoe Palace retail locations around the city, and attendees can enjoy beverages, foosball and dj beats, as well as shop Nike products and get custom tournament-inspired embroidery. (Agency: Freehold Group)
Photos: Courtesy of Freehold Group
Roborock’s ‘Your Home, Your Stadium’ Pop-up
From June 20-23, smart home cleaning brand Roborock launched its free, family-friendly “Your Home, Your Stadium” pop-up at Center Court in Miami’s Aventura Mall to show fans how its products can free up time to watch tournament matches. The activation featured soccer-themed games and challenges, prizes, a live dj, face painting, a complimentary coffee bar and demos of Roborock’s newest smart-home lineup.
The event also highlighted the brand’s global partnership with Real Madrid, with team legend Roberto Carlos making an appearance, and its recent partnership and $50,000 donation to Miami Lighthouse, supporting the nonprofit’s blind soccer program. Students from the program attended the pop-up and demonstrated how athletes use sound and echolocation to navigate the pitch, drawing a parallel to Roborock’s AI-powered spatial tech.
Photos: Courtesy of Roborock
WFB with Stella Artois
It’s tough to keep up with the weekday World Cup matches when they take place during working hours, so Stella Artois is coming to the rescue by reallocating $100K of its “marketing budget” toward expensing bar tabs and giving fans permission to “Work From Bar” (WFB).
An extension of Stella’s “Taste Worth More” platform, the promotion invites working fans to bring their laptops to WFB at their local bar or pub from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during World Cup weekday matches. After purchasing a Stella Artois, they can submit an online WFB Expense Report for reimbursement.
Beginning June 28 for the knockout rounds, NYC-based fans can visit the Work From Bar HQ, popping up at Brookfield Place, featuring a full sports bar, TVs, outlets and a bookable conference room.
Photo: Courtesy of Stella Artois
Uber’s 107-Day Soccer Celebration
From interactive fan zones to mobile trucks to beachside lounges, Uber is meeting soccer fans where they are with several programs this summer. “Made for Match Day” is hosting interactive challenges, photo moments, giveaways and rewards across five cities, while “Sorry for Your (Team’s) Loss” is a mobile activation that’s part billboard, part street spectacle, distributing Uber-branded tissue packs for defeated fans in nine cities and at two FIFA Fan Festivals. In New York and New Jersey, a 10-by-10 Consolation Corner is lifting fans’ spirits with tissue giveaways, promo codes and brand ambassador-led engagement.
Uber’s Wait & Save feature is coming to life with “Wait & Sip” activations set up in rideshare pickup zones and nightlife corridors during peak demand periods. To make the wait more enjoyable in L.A., San Francisco and NYC, brand ambassadors are handing out Ghia beverages and sharing information about the offering. The program is also available at Miami’s Reefline Art of the Game experience through a beachside lounge serving up Uber Eats treats and beverages, giveaways and opportunities to relax and recharge. (Agency: CNC Agency)
Photo and featured image credit: CNC Agency
Visit Seattle’s Drone Scoreboard
The official destination marketing organization for Seattle and King County, Visit Seattle launched a drone show during the city’s inaugural World Cup match on June 15, and after the six games that take place in the city, fans can gather at Seattle Center to catch a futuristic scoreboard in the sky next to the Space Needle. The nighttime scoreboard broadcasts each team’s final score along with their country’s flag, starting in the window of 10-11:30 p.m. PT.
The shows run for 12 minutes and feature 400 drones displaying elements unique to the host city, like the skyline and the signature SeattleFWC26 “whale tail” inspired by Northwest artist Shogo Ota’s World Cup poster design. The drone shows will continue for the duration of Seattle’s World Cup matches on June 26, July 1 and July 6. (Partners: Copacino Fujikado; C+C; Sky Elements)
Photo credit: Hayes Walsh
