Our clients are approaching us regularly with questions around the tournament. With finite advertising supply you need to think about availability now. If you're early, there's a bigger chance to get the spots you want to have. It's definitely not too
early to begin planning for next summer's World Cup. NIKOLAUS BEIER SVP Marketing Services, Sportradar
2026 FIFA World Cup Plan Now, Profit Later
Set to be the biggest tournament in history, the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has begun.
Nikolaus Beier, SVP Marketing Services at Sportradar, explains why the upcoming World Cup presents a rare opportunity to combine scale, technology, and timing for maximum impact.
Te 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in June, and it promises to be the biggest tournament in history. With 48 teams, 104 matches, and a stage that spans across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the competition will offer more opportunities to engage fans than ever before. For betting and gaming operators, that means one thing – it’s time to start planning now.
According to Sportradar’s Marketing Services, operators who combine brand awareness with acquisition channels see up to 36 per cent lower CPAs and 60 per cent higher effectiveness than those relying solely on acquisition-focused tactics. With the right adtech and channel mix, campaigns can even double overall revenue returns and boost player lifetime value by 40 per cent.
THE BIGGEST WORLD CUP IN HISTORY
For operators, the scale of next summer’s tournament means more betting moments, more competition for attention, and more opportunities to connect with fans across markets. But it also means that timing and preparation are critical.
“For many operators the World Cup is already a big topic with marketing and media plans being drawn up for next year,” Nikolaus Beier, SVP Marketing Services at Sportradar, explains. “Our clients are approaching us regularly with questions around the tournament. With finite advertising supply you need to think about availability now. If you're early, there's a bigger chance to get the spots you want to have.
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It's definitely not too early to begin planning for next summer's World Cup.”
Te lesson from past tournaments is clear. Many operators spend too much, too late.
“As well as not pre-planning early enough, there can be too much focus on acquisition,” Beier says. “Tese types of activities become very expensive during the World Cup because there's bigger competition and the branding aspect is sometimes lost. We see in many cases that a good balance between branding and acquisition can lead to 36 percent decreased CPAs. Tere is a clear positive impact from branding channels to acquisition channels.”
Tat balance is something Sportradar’s data consistently reinforces. Operators that build brand awareness in advance enter major tournaments with stronger recall, lower acquisition costs, and audiences primed to convert once the action begins.
So, which channels should operators focus on as they design their campaigns?
“Tis will differ between markets, but digital out-of-home is the fastest growing programmatic channel, particularly in the host continent of North America” Beier notes. “More screens are being digitalised so that is a huge opportunity for branding, especially in host cities, major travel routes, and stadiums. Several of the World Cup’s venues are amongst
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