Getting ready
Another monumental sporting event brings with it a huge wave of commercials. Following on from this year’s star-studded NFL Super Bowl, the creative floodgates have opened for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The Super Bowl may be king of the big-budget advertising, but the World Cup? That’s where brands get real. These ads are less about selling crisps or soft drinks and more about nostalgia, identity, culture and those goosebumps moments.
With kick-off (pun absolutely intended) just around the corner, global household brands have began rolling out campaigns packed with football royalty, celebrity cameos, cinematic and emotional storytelling. But, which adverts are actually worth watching? We share five of the best ones (in our opinion), in no particular order, below:
But, first…what actually makes a good advert?
A world cup advert isn’t just a montage of dramatic slow motion football shots. The best campaigns usually nail a few key things:
- Emotion – Whether it’s nostalgia, excitement or pure chaos, great ads make you feel something.
- Storytelling – The best football adverts feel more like short films than commercials.
- Star power – Football icons help, obviously. Bonus points for unexpected celebrity cameos.
- Cultural relevance – Football is global. The strongest campaigns understand fan culture, rivalry and community.
- Share ability – If people are quoting it, memeing it or sending it into the group chat, it’s working!
And perhaps most importantly, it shouldn’t feel like an advert. The moment audiences feel they’re being aggressively sold to, they switch off. With that in mind, let’s get into some of the standout adverts so far…
1. Lay’s | The most epic watch party
The Super Bowl gave us Sabrina Carpenter falling in love with Pringleleo. But what did the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Lay’s do? They host the most epic watch party, of course! Starring football legends David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Alexia Putellas alongside The Office icon Steve Carell. The setup is simple: Beckham is hosting the ultimate watch party in his stunning house in Miami…when they all realise, there aren’t enough Lay’s for the game… #Disaster.
What follows is a mad dash to the supermarket, with the icons inviting everyday shoppers into Beckham’s house on one condition: they must have a bag of Lay’s in their shopping. If they don’t, they’re not invited to the epic watch party. Soon enough, dozens of fans descend on the house and a nervous Beckham asks them to “please don’t touch anything.” Bags of Lay’s are opened and shared around the fans before Messi casually arrives in time for kick off, Lay’s bag in hand (obviously!).
The campaign continues Lay’s long-running No Lay’s, No Game platform, which leans heavily into the idea that football is best experienced together. Alexis Porter, Global Vice President at Lay’s, described the campaign as a way of bringing “fans closer to the sport and the personalities they love in authentic, unforgettable and engaging ways.” And the internet seems to agree: “Moral of the story: buy Lay’s every time you go into the store.” and “I am the first guy who didn’t have any lays – I wish I did Haha!” #NoLaysNoGame
2. adidas | Backyard Legends – the greatest football story every told
At 5 minutes and 5 seconds long, this isn’t the snappy, short-form content we’re usually used to these days but wow; it’s a piece of cinematic storytelling. Released just 2 weeks ago, the video has already racked up a massive 5.3 million views and it’s clear to see why…
Narrated by Oscar nominee, Timothée Chalamet, the short film tells the story of a mythical New York City 3v3 street football team, across different eras, blending nostalgia and football culture into something that feels a lot more like a Netflix trailer than a regular sports advert. If you thought the cast of Lay’s advert was impressive, adidas takes it up a notch…Starring Jude Bellingham, Trinity Rodman, Lamine Yamal, Messi and Bad Bunny. Oh and we even get an AI-generated David Beckham rocking his most iconic haircuts!
From a video production standpoint, this is pure art. It captures the raw, unfiltered joy of football, without feeling like we’re being sold anything. Florian Alt, VP of Global Brand Communications at adidas said the campaign was designed to celebrate “playing for the joy of it, with no pressure and no expectations.”
The response online has been massive, with the YouTube comment section begging for a feature-length film. “Petition to make this a movie.”, “This feels unreal to have a commercial this good nowadays.” “What do you mean Timothée Chalamet, Jude Bellingham, Messi and Bad Bunny are all in the same video?” 10/10 adidas- very well played.
3. Lego | Everyone wants a piece
While most World Cup campaigns are trying to go bigger, louder and more cinematic, LEGO proves that you don’t actually need emotional monologues or a five-minute runtime to get people’s attention. Sometimes, one simple idea is enough…
‘Everyone Wants a Piece’ brings together Lionel Messi (again), Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, all gathered around a table carefully building a LEGO World Cup trophy, brick by brick. As the trophy nears completion, each football star takes turns attempting to place their own mini-figure on top of the trophy. But who wins? Not the four players but a young fan who walks in and places his own mini-figure on top.
Suddenly, the advert stops being about football icons and becomes about football fans. The advert is short, playful and completely stripped back compared to some of the blockbuster campaigns surrounding the tournament. Nothing too dramatic; just four of football’s biggest names acting like competitive kids around a LEGO set, nicely done!
4. Coca-Cola| Uncanned emotions
Much like Lego, Coca-Cola also went down a different route for their world cup advert. They didn’t opt for star footballers or celebrity cameos, instead, they focused entirely on the fans.
The 90 second ad, ‘Uncanned Emotions’, centres around the emotional rollercoaster we as the fans feel during a football match. With legendary commentator, Peter Drury narrating the action, it gives the advert that dramatic intensity of an actual World Cup final. Think of the nail-biting tension, the last-minute celebrations and the questionable referee decisions; the beautiful chaos of football fandom and how football makes us feel everything. Because whether you’re watching from a stadium, pub or your mate’s living room, football has this unique ability to make complete strangers feel connected.
However, compared to the other above entries, Coke’s advert has only clocked around 104k views on YouTube. Which is surprising, considering Coca-Cola has over 4 million subscribers on the platform. It just goes to show that even for the biggest global brands, cutting through the fierce World Cup noise can be a game of two halves. “How do they get me in my feelings with every single ad?” “Nobody does summer commercials better than Coca-Cola.” Coca-Cola position themselves not just as a sponsor, but as the ultimate companion to the beautiful game.
5. Brahma | Tá liberado acreditar (let yourself believe)
Ok, as a Brazilian myself, I couldn’t not include this one into the mix. Brahma (Brazilian pale lager) has been an absolute staple of our football culture for over a century, and their latest world cup campaign is basically a form of national group therapy. Despite previously winning the world cup five times, it’s no secret that Brazil have gone 24 years without lifting the trophy…According to a survey by Genial, facilitated by Quaest, only 28% of Brazilians believe in a Hexa win (our sixth title). And this is where the advert starts; in a local bar where two friends are complaining about the national team…
What follows is a high-energy game of street football, in Rio, between the locals which seamlessly morphs raw street culture with archival match footage, recreating some of Brazil’s most iconic World Cup moments. Set to a classic 1960s samba soundtrack, the advert nails the “Brazilcore” aesthetic with a nostalgic 90s lens that takes you straight back to the golden era of Joga Bonito. You may have noticed cameo appearances from Carlo Ancelotti (head coach of the Brazilian National Team) and Ronaldo Nazário, a Brazilian icon and long-time partner of the brand.
Joga Bonito
In Brazil, football is a massive part of our culture and a huge part of our identity. What makes this advert stand out is how it captures that collective feeling of anticipation that builds before a World Cup tournament.
“Brazilian football has always had something that numbers cannot explain. We grow in the improbable, transform pressure into creativity, and find unique ways to surprise. This film is born precisely from this provocation: to remember that the mystique of Brazilian football was built when nobody believed. The film is an invitation for the fan to dream together with the National Team again,” says Nicholas Bergantin, co-CCO of Africa Creative.
Brahma leaned directly into the fans’ doubt and turned it on its head. Ultimately, the campaign works because it doesn’t try to over-explain football. It shows it as something lived, shared and felt. And for me, that’s exactly what makes it hit home. Brahma isn’t just selling beer; they are giving an entire nation permission to hope again. Tá liberado! 11/10 from me! 🥳 🇧🇷
