The FIFA World Cup: A Risky Billion-Dollar Spending Spree for Advertisers

Around 105 billion SEK is invested in advertising globally during the football World Cup. Opportunities are massive when six out of ten Swedes gather around their screens to review ads together. However, a new study from WPP Media Sweden and Norstat shows that the risks of commercial bellyflops are high for companies that get caught in the "macho trap" or drown in the noise of historic giants.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the single largest advertising window of the year, and this summer, the TV couch will become Sweden’s largest review platform for advertising. WPP Media’s fresh study shows that a whopping 53 percent of viewers comment on the commercials out loud when watching games with others.

"An advertisement during the World Cup is rarely watched in solitude; it is consumed by an entire room. This means the advertising must not only work on a screen but also withstand being commented on, mocked, or praised in real time. It is a tougher test than any pre-testing, but at the same time, a fantastic opportunity. Research shows that co-viewed advertising builds brands better than ads consumed alone," says Nils Wimby, Strategy Director at WPP Media Sweden.

The Macho Trap Excludes Purchasing Power

Nearly 60 percent of Swedes plan to follow the World Cup. Viewership is broad; among other things, half of all Swedish women (49.6 percent) state that they will watch the championship. Despite this, one in five viewers (19.5 percent) feels that the brands investing in the World Cup target men exclusively.

"This highlights a clear pitfall for advertisers: routinely viewing the football World Cup solely as a channel to reach 30-year-old men. Failing to adapt communication more broadly means companies are burning expensive advertising budgets and consciously ignoring an enormous source of purchasing power," says Erik Söderberg, Insight Director at WPP Media Sweden.

Billions Disappear in the Noise

For those who believe that simply buying a partner title and leaning back is enough, an expensive lesson awaits. Over 60 percent of Swedes cannot spontaneously name a single previous World Cup sponsor. The space is completely dominated by companies that have invested long-term: Coca-Cola (a sponsor since 1974) and Adidas (since 1970) together account for 58 percent of all brand mentions.

Meanwhile, the silence is deafening for other brands. Official partner Visa, which has sponsored the World Cup since 2007, is only mentioned by 2.4 percent of respondents, and the data shows a high risk that unclear brands might accidentally drive attention to their competitors instead.

The Reward: "Skin in the Game"

However, for brands with the right strategy and stamina, the payoff is massive.

One-third of viewers believe that companies appearing in the World Cup seem to offer higher quality than other brands.

"This is based on a psychological 'halo effect'—consumers perceive brands that have the resources and courage to advertise in these massive contexts as more trustworthy. The company simply proves that they have skin in the game," says Nils Wimby.

The World Cup is a renaissance for traditional reach channels, but the impressive 105 billion SEK investment testifies to the high stakes. Anyone who wants to stand out must be able to withstand being reviewed directly from the living room couch—and speak to the entire audience.

About the Study

The study was conducted by WPP Media Sweden in collaboration with Norstat ahead of the 2026 Football World Cup. The results are based on a nationally representative web panel with 1,020 interviews conducted among the Swedish public (ages 18+) during the period of June 2–8, 2026.

Contact:

Nils Andersson Wimby
Strategy Director
WPP Media Sweden
+46-76138 78 89