The FIFA World Cup™ kicks off on 11 June 2026 and the drinks industry is hoping it delivers the economic boost it has promised them.

The tournament self-describes itself as “the most effective international marketing platform, reaching millions of people in over 200 countries throughout the world”.

North America is hosting the quadrennial soccer tournament for the first time since 1994. The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ will span 39 days in cities across the United States, Mexico and Canada, concluding on 19 July.

Mexico and Canada will host 26 of the 104 matches, with the United States hosting the remaining 78 — including the final eight matches.

But the US administration’s strict new customs policies, heavy-handed ICE actions, hefty prices for tickets and current geopolitical conflicts have all impacted enthusiasm for the highly anticipated event.

Official drinks sponsors include Coca-Cola, AB InBev and Diageo, with the companies investing huge sums to partner with FIFA®. Additionally, Jim Beam is the official spirits partner of the US Soccer Federation; while Jameson is the Official Whiskey of Major League Soccer.

According to FIFA® the 2026 World Cup will deliver the highest sponsorship revenue ever for a standalone sporting event. Earlier this year, the governing body published a revised budget estimating it will rake in US$1.8 billion from sponsorship rights this year.

Coca‑Cola’s legacy as a partner of FIFA® spans nearly five decades and 12 tournaments and continuing its role as the official soft drink of FIFA World Cup 2026™. ​The brand has debuted a new anthem for the event that celebrates the emotions experienced throughout the tournament and the passion of football fandom. The track will feature a reimagined version of Van Halen’s iconic 1980s hit Jump, brought to life by an all-star lineup of global music artists. ​

AB InBev’s roster of brands for the tournament includes Michelob ULTRA, NÜTRL Vodka Seltzer, Budweiser and Stella Artois.

Here’s the brewer’s Stella ad, featuring David Beckham:

Beckham, who is Stella Artois’ global brand ambassador, said: “For every goal scored on the pitch, millions of fans celebrate around the world. That shared energy is what makes the World Cup unforgettable – and the most meaningful celebrations are the ones people experience together.”

AB InBev COO Kyle Norrington said: “As the FIFA World Cup returns to North America for the first time in over 30 years, Anheuser‑Busch, our brands, our people, and our entire network are prepared to meet this moment with massive investments and plans that engage and delight fans at every touchpoint.

“Our brands will be an essential part of the broadcast and the match atmosphere — in stadiums, in bars, and at‑home watch parties. No one brings fans and sports together like Anheuser‑Busch, and our plans for the FIFA World Cup 2026 reflect the scale, ambition, and leadership that define our company.” 

Diageo will join the celebration with brands including Casamigos and Don Julio tequila, Buchanan’s and Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky and Smirnoff vodka.

Diageo CMO Cristina Diezhandino said: “We are proud to deepen our partnership with sports by bringing our unmatched portfolio to toast the FIFA World Cup 26. Football is the world’s biggest sport and with this tournament set to be the biggest in its history, we see this as a unique opportunity to celebrate with fans in new and meaningful ways.”

Here’s the company’s Casamigos ad, featuring Gabrielle Union and Keegan-Michael Key.

Hotels revise expectations

The month-long series was initially projected to buoy hotel performance across the North American summer, but hoteliers aren’t optimistic ahead of the matches.

Patricia Boo, area director of Latin America at STR, CoStar’s hotel data analytics firm, said hotel demand in Mexico for the tournament is currently “a big uncertainty.” Occupancy is sitting below what was expected, at around 20% to 40%.

The lack of bookings less than two months out from the start of the tournament is “very concerning for the hoteliers” according to Boo.

“I think the biggest story is that this is very unusual,” she said.

As for the US, National director of hospitality market analytics at CoStar Jan Freitag said: “The news around customs, border patrol, ICE agents, all that certainly doesn’t shed a positive light.

“It’s possible that some international customers looking to see their team play, given the choice of a US venue and a non-US venue, may have said, ‘Oh, Toronto is as easy for us to get to as is New York or Boston.'”

A World Cup outlook released Monday by the American Hotel & Lodging Association found that among hoteliers surveyed across the host cities, 80% said hotel bookings are tracking below initial forecasts.

Crushing costs for attendees

More than a million international visitors will arrive in the United States for the tournament, according to research firm Tourism Economics, for matches that begin in California on 12 June and culminate with the 19 July final in New Jersey.

But locals and visitors are expressing outrage over costs they will face, with many saying they can’t afford to attend matches.

As ESPN notes: “Parking costs more than $200 in one World Cup city, and it’s not at the stadium. Train fare is four times that of a normal ride in another city. A matchday hotel room can cost nearly $US700 in the highest-priced locale. And one fan group accuses FIFA of ‘extortionate’ ticket costs.”

Unlike cities like Sydney, which provide free transport to many major events, NJ Transit will jack up its prices astronomically for fans to make the round-tip from New York City’s Penn Station to New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. The normal ticket price of $US12.90 will surge to $US105.

Why? According to New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill it will cost $US48 million to add services to carry all those additional passengers.

The shining hope for drinks brands

Of course, fans attending matches is just part of the benefit for drinks sponsors. They will also be banking on their association with the tournament boosting sales in the on-premise and for those watching games from home.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar set records with an estimated five billion people engaged globally and the final match reach of nearly 1.5 billion, making it the most-watched sporting event in history.

Nielsen Sports Americas MD Jon Stainer said the tournament will give brands and advertisers a chance to expand their reach and build connections with growing soccer fanbases.

According to Nielsen Fan Insights, 67% of soccer fans globally think brands are more appealing when they participate in sports sponsorships, and 59% would pick a sponsor’s product over a competitor’s if price and quality are the same, compared to 45% of the general population.

Diageo has already reported that its latest quarterly earnings exceeded expectations as a result of venues stocking up ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

CFO Nik Jhangiani told analysts the World Cup was a “critically important” moment for the company.

“We want to make sure that we’ve got the right plans in place across North America and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), but also the rest of the world,” he said.