See the 48 brands winning with U.S. FIFA World Cup fans

FIFA World Cup excitement in the U.S. is building, and brands are using the tournament to drive awareness, buzz and purchase consideration.

With the tournament reaching the business end, YouGov analyzed more than 2,000 brands tracked in BrandIndex to identify which are gaining most among U.S. consumers interested in the FIFA World Cup.

The analysis compares the 18 days before the tournament began with the period after kickoff, using an Ad Impact Score based on changes in Ad Awareness, Buzz and Consideration, with extra weight given to Consideration.

We then reviewed the top gainers to identify brands with clear FIFA World Cup or soccer-related activations, including official sponsorships, licensed merchandise, retail promotions, travel and ticketing tie-ins, gaming activations and unofficial campaigns built around football fandom.

The result is a list of 48 brands — matching the number of teams in this year’s expanded tournament — that are winning with U.S FIFA. World Cup fans.

The ranking shows that official sponsorship still matters, but it is not the only route to impact. Some of the strongest gains are coming from brands that make the tournament part of everyday fan behavior: what people drink, snack on, wear, collect, watch, play and share during the FIFA World Cup.

Bustelo puts fandom on your face

Café Bustelo ranks #1 overall among brands gaining with U.S. FIFA World Cup fans, and its campaign shows why. Rather than simply borrowing the tournament’s spotlight, Bustelo’s Game Face campaign turns national pride into a physical fan ritual: limited-edition coffee cans inspired by Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, each with a temporary face-tattoo kit inside. The brand’s lift was broad-based, with strong gains across Ad Awareness, Buzz and Consideration — exactly the pattern you’d expect from a campaign that is visible, collectible and culturally specific.

Pepsi proves official status is not everything

Pepsi lands at #2, just behind Bustelo, with a campaign that feels built for football culture rather than pasted onto it. Its Pepsi Football Nation platform leans into chants, rituals and global fandom, with a star-heavy cast including David Beckham, Mohamed Salah, Vini Jr., Lauren James, Alexia Putellas and Florian Wirtz. Pepsi’s rise is especially notable because Coca-Cola is the official FIFA soft drink partner, yet Pepsi is still breaking through by speaking the language of fans — right down to its “football, not soccer” provocation.

Coca-Cola turns sponsorship into fan experience

Coca-Cola ranks #5, and its performance shows the continued value of a long-running official FIFA relationship when paired with tangible fan experiences. The brand’s FIFA World Cup push includes global creative around the emotional highs and lows of football, limited-edition bottles, Panini sticker tie-ins and on-the-ground fan activity. Coca-Cola’s biggest lift in the Ad Impact Score comes from Buzz, suggesting that the campaign is generating conversation as well as visibility. In the Coke vs. Pepsi story, Coke owns official status; Pepsi is winning attention through cultural swagger.

Family fandom gets dressed up

The apparel story is not just about superfans — it is about families. Gap Kids ranks #4, making it one of the strongest non-food brands in the list, while Aerie ranks #21 and The Children’s Place ranks #44. Each gives fans something easy to wear to school, watch parties or game-day gatherings. Gap’s FIFA World Cup collection includes kids’ oversized jerseys, Aerie has dedicated FWC26 merchandise, and The Children’s Place is selling kids’ graphic tees, soccer jerseys and match-day styles. The common thread: fandom that fits everyday life.

Snacks own the sofa

Snacks are one of the clearest category winners. Pringles ranks #6, Doritos #7, Cheetos #11 and Ruffles #14, putting snack brands all over the upper end of the campaign ranking. The mechanics are straightforward: the FIFA World Cup creates repeat viewing occasions, and snacks are built for shared moments. Frito-Lay’s FIFA sponsorship portfolio includes Doritos, Cheetos and Ruffles, while Kellanova’s U.S. Soccer partnership brings Pringles and other limited-edition snacks into watch parties, matches and in-store displays. This is not abstract brand love; it is match-day behavior.

Payments brands sell access, not just transactions

For financial brands, the strongest FIFA World Cup angle is access. Visa ranks #13, backed by its role as FIFA’s Official Payment Technology Partner and its ticketing/payment activations. Capital One Bank ranks #19 and Capital One ranks #29, both tied to exclusive Venture X cardholder ticket access. Western Union ranks #30, with a Visa-linked contest offering a FIFA World Cup travel and ticket prize. These brands are not selling fandom in the emotional sense; they are selling proximity to the tournament. For fans, that can be just as powerful as a big ad.

Travel brands move with the tournament

Mobility and travel brands show that FIFA World Cup momentum extends far beyond the stadium. Lyft ranks #8, helped by a dedicated FIFA World Cup ride guide and host-city rider promos. Delta ranks #15, with a FOX One/Delta Sync tie-up that lets SkyMiles members stream FIFA World Cup coverage in flight. Residence Inn ranks #35, benefiting from Marriott Bonvoy’s role as Official Hotel Supporter in North America. Alaska Air ranks #48, with a Seattle FIFA World Cup livery and host-city partnership. The shared idea: make the tournament easier to reach, watch or experience.

Collectibles give fans something to keep

The FIFA World Cup is also a merchandise engine. The LEGO Store ranks #16, with official FIFA World Cup trophy and emblem sets that turn the tournament into displayable memorabilia. Mattel ranks #38, with a FIFA World Cup collection spanning Fisher-Price Little People, Barbie and UNO. adidas ranks #47, anchored by the official match ball and tournament gear. These brands show a different kind of impact: not just watching the FIFA World Cup, but owning a piece of it. For families and collectors, the souvenir can be the campaign.

The digital layer becomes the second screen

The tech, gaming and media brands in the ranking show how the FIFA World Cup now plays out across screens, feeds and games. Epic Games ranks #18, with FIFA World Cup-themed Rocket League and Fortnite activations. King ranks #27, turning Candy Crush into a “game between games” with Alex Morgan and free Candy Cabs in New York. Meta ranks #32, adding football features across Threads, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Fox ranks #37, as the U.S. English-language broadcaster, while Lenovo ranks #45 as FIFA’s Official Technology Partner powering event infrastructure.

Levi’s increases in Ad Awareness, but Consideration hasn’t yet followed

FIFA has required the sponsors of World Cup stadiums to cover all visible branding unless they are official sponsors of the tournament. This has led to press coverage about the possibility that these sponsors are benefiting from the “Streisand effect,” which suggests that attempts to hide information cause it to get more attention.

An initial analysis of BrandIndex data confirms that Levi’s Ad Awareness has increased by 2.4 percentage-points during the first 18 days of the FIFA World Cup. This is a significant uplift.

However, the fashion brand did not make the top 48 in our initial rankings, as Consideration remained unchanged. One possible explanation is that, despite increased attention, the warmer weather of June has discouraged Americans from considering a brand that they associate with cold weather.

Methodology

The rankings in this article are based on YouGov BrandIndex data collected among U.S. adults interested in the FIFA World Cup. The analysis compares two periods: the 18 days before the tournament began on June 11 and the period from June 11 to June 28.

The starting universe included more than 2,000 brands tracked in YouGov BrandIndex. Brands were ranked using an Ad Impact Score, calculated as:

Ad Awareness change + Buzz change + (Consideration change x 2)

This formula is designed to identify brands gaining not only in visibility and conversation, but also in consumer consideration.

The top-gaining brands were then reviewed for clear FIFA World Cup or soccer-related campaigns, sponsorships, licensed products, promotions or tie-ins. The final published list includes 48 brands with notable campaign activity.

Metrics used in this analysis:

• Ad Awareness: Which of the following brands have you seen an advertisement for in the past two weeks?
• Buzz: Over the past two weeks, which of the following brands have you heard something positive or negative about, whether in the news, through advertising, or talking to friends and family?
• Consideration: When you are in the market next to make a purchase, which brands would you consider?

Scores are shown as point changes between the two comparison periods. Figures may be rounded.

Among the final 48 brands included in the published ranking, minimum sample sizes for each metric were n>128 in the current period and n>110 in the previous period for Ad Awareness, Buzz and Consideration.

About YouGov BrandIndex

YouGov BrandIndex is an always-on brand tracking tool that measures consumer perceptions of thousands of brands across sectors and markets. It helps marketers monitor brand health, benchmark against competitors and understand how consumer perceptions shift over time.

For major cultural and sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, BrandIndex can help identify which brands are breaking through, which campaigns are changing consumer perceptions and which categories are gaining most from heightened fan attention.