The FIFA World Cup isn’t just the biggest tournament in football - it’s one of the few global events that genuinely concentrate attention at scale. An estimated 5 billion people watch the event worldwide, and in the UK alone the 2022 tournament generated 52 million media engagements (FIFA Audience Report).
For brands, this is more than a sponsorship play. It’s a defining moment for sports advertising - when audiences are highly attentive, emotionally invested and socially active all at once.
With the tournament hosted in North America, some fans will travel across continents to follow their teams. For everyone else, the experience is woven into everyday life - on commutes, in city centre fan zones and packed pubs.
World Cup advertising goes beyond TV
It’s natural to think of World Cup advertising as a broadcast opportunity, but during major tournaments, audiences are more mobile and social. Fans are travelling to meet friends and heading to hospitality venues to watch matches. In these moments, OOH is a great alternative to TV advertising.
Viewers are significantly more likely to notice billboards and OOH in pub settings during the tournament. More importantly, the influence runs deeper than just brand awareness. Football enthusiasts who enjoy nights out in pubs are 178% more likely to say OOH improves their perception of a brand (TGI).
Matchdays change behaviour and spending
Major sports tournaments don’t just drive viewing figures, they also increase time spent in hospitality environments, which means increased spending and increased dwell time.
During the 2022 World Cup, pubs and bars recorded 30-40% uplifts on matchdays according to Barclaycard Data. Nearly nine in ten people say they stay out longer when live sport is shown, and a similar proportion are more likely to revisit venues that screen matches (Sky Business).
For advertisers, longer dwell time in hospitality environments means repeated exposure. And in an era where audiences are typically on their mobile phone, matchday environments offer collective attention that amplifies the success of sports OOH advertising.
Sports advertising drives more than awareness
OOH is often positioned as a top-of-funnel channel. During major sporting events, the data suggests that effectiveness goes even further.
Sports related OOH increases brand familiarity, but it also fuels conversation. People who regularly talk about football are 82% more likely to discuss brands they’ve seen in OOH. While pub-going fans are 113% more likely to talk about products after exposure (TGI).
In the context of the World Cup, conversation is constant and having well-placed OOH can help your brand become part of the discussion.
Reaching fans at scale
But reach still counts, and selecting the right OOH locations can help drive success, whether you’re planning a national or local campaign.
At Alight, our roadside network alone reaches 6 million football fans, covering 61% of the football fandom, alongside 14 million people interested in football matches. That ensures brands can achieve simultaneous visibility during key fixtures.
And that’s before factoring in Dwell hospitality screens across pubs and restaurants - environments where fans gather for full matches and extended socialising throughout the tournament.
