A recent report revealed that companies sponsoring the 2026 World Cup have made billions of dollars in gains in the value of their brands.
According to a report by Brand Finance, 21 global brands associated with sponsoring the 2026 World Cup saw an estimated total increase of $7.2 billion in their brand value.
The report explained that these figures do not represent direct profits or revenues achieved by companies during the tournament, but rather reflect the increased financial value of the brand as a result of its increased global reach, improved public image, and enhanced future growth opportunities thanks to its association with the world’s biggest football event.
The report indicated that the technology, automotive, financial services and consumer goods sectors were among the sectors that benefited most from World Cup partnerships.
Saudi Aramco came out on top in terms of the absolute increase in brand value, after recording an increase of $1.08 billion, and it also topped in terms of its estimated contribution to the company’s corporate value, which amounted to about $26.142 billion, according to Brand Financial estimates.
Verizon came in second with an increase of $1.03 billion, followed by Hyundai with $836 million, Coca-Cola with $733 million, Bank of America with $631 million, Visa with $532 million, Home Depot with $402 million, and Kia with $365 million.
In terms of growth rate compared to the previous brand value, Lenovo topped the list with an increase of 4.2%, followed by Kia with 3.5%, then Hyundai with 3.4%, while Aramco came in fourth with a growth rate of 2.3%.
The report estimated that the 21 sponsors would spend approximately $2.8 billion on their 2026 World Cup partnerships, generating returns of $7.2 billion in added brand value and approximately $61 billion in total corporate value.
A specialist analysis also indicated that the cost of sponsoring the 2026 World Cup ranged between £52 million and £76 million per company, in exchange for access to a global audience estimated at around 5 billion fans.
Despite the huge returns generated by global sponsorship, a report by Business Insider Africa indicated that FIFA's list of official global sponsors has not yet included any company headquartered in Africa.
The report argues that Morocco’s hosting of the 2030 World Cup in partnership with Spain and Portugal represents a historic opportunity for African companies to join the global sponsorship system, enhance their presence outside the continent, and benefit from the World Cup brand power in building new partnerships and investments.
