{"id":478576,"date":"2026-02-16T13:36:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T13:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/478576\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T13:36:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T13:36:10","slug":"mls-clubs-investing-millions-in-world-cup-marketing-efforts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/478576\/","title":{"rendered":"MLS, clubs investing millions in World Cup marketing efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shortly after FIFA awarded the 2026 World Cup to the U.S., Canada and Mexico<\/a>, MLS Commissioner Don Garber promised the league would be ready to take full advantage of the first men\u2019s World Cup on home soil since MLS was founded.<\/p>\n

\u201cRarely do people have an opportunity to have eight years to have a defined moment, and we know where we\u2019ll be and what our league will look like eight years from now,\u201d Garber said in 2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That eight-year runway has indeed been transformative. At 30 teams, MLS is nearly a third larger than when the World Cup was awarded, and now has a presence in 24 of the top 30 media markets across the U.S. and Canada. Nine new soccer-specific stadiums have opened, with three more in development. Franchise valuations have surged into the high-nine \u2014 and in some cases, low-10 \u2014 figures, and the signing and retention of Lionel Messi has redefined what many thought was possible when it comes to attracting elite global talent to the league.<\/p>\n

Now, with the pieces in place and the World Cup just months away, MLS and its clubs are investing tens of millions of dollars in marketing aimed at amplifying the potential impact of the World Cup on North American soccer and ensuring they are among the direct beneficiaries.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe think this is, without question, the largest single sporting event ever, and the greatest opportunity we\u2019ve had to engage people that are more willing to consider Major League Soccer as a way to spend their time,\u201d said Camilo Durana, MLS\u2019s executive vice president of properties and events.<\/p>\n

Financial commitments<\/p>\n

MLS marketing efforts around the World Cup fall into two buckets: a central, league-led promotional campaign and market-specific activations by each of the league\u2019s 30 clubs.<\/p>\n

At the league level, Durana said MLS will put forth the \u201cgreatest marketing spend we\u2019ve made as a league in any single calendar year\u201d to capitalize on the World Cup. During board of governors meetings in 2025, MLS leadership presented prospective plans and called on each franchise to make a direct contribution.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did put forth a plan about six months ago and discussed it with all owners, all club presidents, and got unanimous approval to proceed with investment,\u201d Durana said.<\/p>\n

MLS characterized its World Cup-related promotion as \u201ca significant, eight-figure marketing investment.\u201d Multiple sources said each club is committing between $500,000 and $1 million toward the centralized effort, which would put the total spend between $15 million and $30 million.<\/p>\n

That investment does not include plans that each of the 30 clubs will execute locally. The Chicago Fire, for example, expect to spend more than $2 million on local World Cup activations beyond their contribution to the league-level effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cNormally, we try to have a very distinct, direct ROI on all of these initiatives,\u201d said Dave Baldwin, president of business operations at the Fire. \u201cIn my tenure here, this is the one that has probably leaned the most heavily into larger brand-building versus a direct, immediate ROI. If we can break even on this but we welcome tens of thousands of new fans to the Fire ecosystem, then that\u2019s something that\u2019s great for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scheduling considerations<\/p>\n

With MLS considering a change to the European soccer calendar over the past few years, there was hope in league circles that the new schedule could be implemented immediately following the conclusion of the World Cup this summer. While MLS owners did ultimately agree to the seismic change<\/a>, it won\u2019t go into effect until the summer of 2027.<\/p>\n

As such, MLS has built its final spring-to-fall schedule around the World Cup. While the league has taken short breaks during the early stages of past summer World Cups (the 2022 edition in Qatar was held in winter after the MLS season), this year\u2019s schedule includes a seven-week hiatus from May 25 through July 16 that will see the league go dark for the vast majority of the tournament.<\/p>\n

That decision is in part logistical, as five MLS venues and 13 MLS markets will host matches, with many more clubs lending their training facilities to visiting national teams. Furthermore, with the expansion of the competition to 48 teams, the number of MLS players participating \u2014 and thus unavailable to play in MLS \u2014 will be greater than ever.<\/p>\n

The league\u2019s key strategic decision is to resume play on the World Cup rest days between the semifinals and final with a slate of six high-profile rivalry matches. Two matches on Friday, July 17, will air on national TV, including Nashville SC vs. Atlanta United on the main Fox broadcast network.<\/p>\n

\"JeremyLAFC and LA Galaxy will resume their rivalry on Apple TV and FS1 in the second game of MLS’s July 17 doubleheader. Getty Images <\/p>\n

The hope is that with sports fans\u2019 attention fully focused on soccer, some will remain tuned to World Cup broadcasters that also carry MLS matches and give the league a shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re working with our partners at Fox, we\u2019re working with Apple TV, we\u2019re working with Bell [Media (Canada)] to point people to this restart and put our best foot forward with some of our most exciting matchups,\u201d Durana said. \u201cIt\u2019s a coordinated approach that is designed to make sure that as people are engaging with the sport, considering the next step in their soccer journey, that Major League Soccer is front and center and we\u2019re doing it in a coordinated way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inter Miami, which MLS often features in showcase windows, is notably absent from the restart slate. Messi is expected to be with defending champion Argentina deep into the World Cup, making his availability during that period uncertain.<\/p>\n

MLS will immediately ramp back up in the week following the July 19 World Cup final, with all 30 teams playing on both the Wednesday and Saturday after the international competition wraps. All-Star festivities are scheduled for the following week at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte<\/a>, with the annual Leagues Cup competition, featuring Liga MX clubs, set to begin the first week of August. <\/p>\n

Marketing and media<\/p>\n

Much of the league\u2019s eight-figure World Cup investment will fund a marketing and media campaign developed in coordination with ad agency Ogilvy<\/a>. New creative was developed to roll out at key moments throughout the year, including the start of the season this month and coming out of the World Cup in July. <\/p>\n

Throughout the World Cup, the league will invest in localized broadcast spots on Fox affiliates in select club markets, featuring customized creative tied to the MLS restart campaign. MLS\u2019s big national advertising outlay, however, will be focused on the semifinals and final.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn addition to the league\u2019s national campaign, we will have local versions of that running in local markets,\u201d Durana said. \u201cSo, similar voice, similar tone and acting truly as a single entity, which we believe is really important, and it\u2019ll help us reach more audiences with more consistency.\u201d<\/p>\n

League brass isn\u2019t yet ready to share details of its World Cup creative, which is now in post-production, but it is expected to hammer home the idea that viewers who have enjoyed watching the World Cup have an outlet to continue their journey into soccer fandom through MLS.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are super bullish on it,\u201d said Tom Penn, CEO of San Diego FC. \u201cI think the actual campaign is \u2018A+\u2019 excellent. The creative is cool, the tagline is cool, the messaging is clear, and I think it does a nice job of us reminding anybody who\u2019s interested in the World Cup that we have high-quality live soccer here in America.\u201d<\/p>\n

Host cities<\/p>\n

The investment and tactics deployed by each MLS club in its respective market will vary widely, which makes sense given the different circumstances across the league. Exactly half of the league\u2019s 30 teams play in World Cup host markets, while the other half will be the primary drivers of World Cup activities in their regions. Some franchises are focused on driving immediate attendance increases coming out of the World Cup break, while others have longer-term strategic aims. <\/p>\n

In host markets like New York and Houston, MLS clubs are working directly with local organizers to draft off the excitement of the World Cup and leaning into the league\u2019s hospitality sales partnership with On Location.<\/p>\n

Brad Sims, president and CEO of NYCFC, said the team is spending at least three times more than it ever has on marketing this season, with the aim of driving business at its new Queens stadium, Etihad Park, which will open next year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

NYCFC will be among the most engaged clubs in the On Location partnership. While clubs will earn nominal sales commission on any packages they sell, Sims sees World Cup hospitality as a lure to reel in potential premium ticket buyers and corporate partners for the club\u2019s forthcoming stadium.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom my standpoint, it\u2019s a tool to have conversations, especially in a market like New York, trying to talk to C-level people,\u201d Sims said. \u201cCompanies that are spending significant amounts of money to entertain their own clients and employees at World Cup matches that are New York-based would naturally be great prospects for us for Etihad Park.\u201d<\/p>\n

The club will also have a significant presence within fan festivals put on by the New York New Jersey Host Committee, most notably the Fan Zone at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which is adjacent to the new stadium site.<\/p>\n

\"USTAThe USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center will be a Fan Zone site for the New York New Jersey Host Committee. Getty Images <\/p>\n

In Houston, the Dynamo and NWSL sister club the Dash are seeking to turn Shell Energy Stadium into a climate-controlled extension of the official FIFA Fan Festival in the city\u2019s East Downtown neighborhood. On days when the facility isn\u2019t being used as a \u201cmatchday-1\u201d training site for teams playing at NRG Stadium, it will serve as a team-controlled activation zone and match screening area. The team is also offering rental of two large indoor clubs for corporate hospitality.<\/p>\n

Jessica O\u2019Neill, president of business operations for the Dynamo and Dash, said the club is also doubling its typical marketing spend this season. The MLS team has increased attendance by 18% over the past two seasons<\/a>, but still ranks toward the bottom of the league in average turnout. The organization sees opportunity in promoting both teams as affordable, family-friendly options all season long for the millions of fans who won\u2019t attend World Cup matches. This includes offers like $99 family packs with four tickets plus $40 in concessions credit, as well as expanding its value menu with items such as $5 beers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know after the tournament there\u2019ll be obviously the opportunity to convert those who were paying a lot more attention during the tournament, but we want to be able to see that happen in advance of the tournament,\u201d O\u2019Neill said. \u201cHouston is a city where people are already clamoring for information and connectivity around how they can be associated with or celebrate the World Cup because it\u2019s top of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill also views the period between the last World Cup match in Houston on July 4 and the resumption of the MLS season as a prime opportunity for the club to hold events like concerts and friendly matches at Shell Energy Stadium, as well as watch parties for later rounds where fans can sit on the pitch.<\/p>\n

Non-host cities<\/p>\n

In non-host markets like Chicago and San Diego, MLS teams are renting out large event spaces for free, tournament-long soccer celebrations with the hope of attracting tens of thousands of fans throughout the World Cup. Both Recess in Chicago\u2019s West Loop and Fit Social on San Diego\u2019s Mission Beach will offer fans the big watch party feel of a FIFA fan festival in a host market, but with the Fire and San Diego FC at the center of the experience.<\/p>\n

\"FitSan Diego FC will host a watch party at Fit Social on Mission Beach during the World Cup. San Diego FC <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re in one of these major World Cup markets, it\u2019s harder to do something impactful that is meaningful,\u201d Penn said. \u201cIn our case, we feel like it makes a ton of sense to do something more aggressive and more impactful that can build our momentum. You don\u2019t have to compete with the local host committee to put on events. You get to take that mantle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both clubs will have opportunities through their events to capture fan data via signups, giveaways and other experiential activations. The locations will also serve as the backdrop for World Cup live shots and other programming by local broadcasters, with players, coaches and other local celebrities making appearances.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re putting up four giant video boards, we\u2019re spending roughly $500K on the AV to make this the best sporting experience, soccer experience in Chicago,\u201d Baldwin said. \u201cAs you think about fans that are excited about soccer and are looking for something social to do and have some discretionary income, this is a great way for us to engage with them, then offer them ticket specials for the games coming out of World Cup and then hopefully eventually have them become fans of the Fire and season-ticket holders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Penn said San Diego FC is also one of many MLS clubs that plans to offer a \u201cfirst match on us\u201d ticket promotion coming out of the World Cup.<\/p>\n

Eight years in the making<\/p>\n

MLS was on an upward trajectory well before FIFA\u2019s annual congress in 2018, but much of the heightened investment in the league over the past eight years has been driven by the promise of the 2026 World Cup in North America. New team owners, sponsors, Apple and even supporters have come on board with the expectation of a generational lift in the popularity of soccer in North America \u2014 and, in turn, of MLS itself.<\/p>\n

The pivotal moment is now just months away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Shortly after FIFA awarded the 2026 World Cup to the U.S., Canada and Mexico, MLS Commissioner Don Garber…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":478577,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[440],"tags":[49,48,28459,77,94247,573,39932,561,82,13009],"class_list":["post-478576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-soccer","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-in-depth","tag-international","tag-international-soccer","tag-mls","tag-print","tag-soccer","tag-sports","tag-world-cup"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/478576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=478576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/478576\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/478577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=478576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=478576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=478576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}