World Cup: how retailers and operators are activating the tournament - part one

As the FIFA Football World Cup comes ever closer, our analysts spotlight activations from retailers and away from home operators in Canada, the UK, and the USA. In the activations we highlight, it is interesting to see how retailers and operators appear to be aiming to meet some of the opportunities highlighted in our recent predictions for the tournament.

Activations from Canada

As a host nation, activity in Canada has been increasing over the past few months.

Walmart Canada

As with any major event, merchandise is a key part of the experience and retail offer. Walmart Canada offers a broad range of official merchandise and related products through its larger stores.

The Coca-Cola Company

Coca-Cola has made front-of-store its primary battleground for the World Cup 26, securing prime entry-point space across Canadian grocery stores to build a wall of red that's hard to miss. The activation at Sobeys-owned Safeway stores shown below is one of multiple similar builds spotted across the country, highlighting a coordinated national push to own the moment at the highest-traffic point in the store.

PepsiCo

Lay's has taken the snack aisle to the front of the store at Save-On-Foods, with a full-width display built around the chance to win the ultimate fan experience at the World Cup. The promotion, backed by the World Cup trophy as the visual centrepiece, runs consistently across the fixture, with the win mechanic repeated at every level to drive engagement.

Activations from the UK

Unilever is an official FIFA Partner and has been actively promoting its involvement since 2025 in many of the UK’s supermarkets. This activity has increased in April and May, with initiatives including the rebranding of its long-term Lynx bays in Sainsbury’s.

Unilever has been using its corporate master brand as well as individual brands within its portfolio. The focus has perhaps inevitably fallen on Lynx, its brand most popular with younger men, as evidenced by this branded ticket contest gondola end in Asda.

Other official FIFA Partners finally kicked into gear in late May, perhaps one of the most impactful examples being this front-of-store display in Sainsbury’s that united Coca-Cola, Doritos and Budweiser, creating the unlikely scenario of collaboration between CCEP and PepsiCo but an excellent shopper solution that urged customers to ‘Get FIFA World Cup 2026 Ready’.

Sainsbury’s hosted an interesting mechanic from Coca-Cola, the brand teaming up with Panini to offer shoppers ‘peel and collect’ exclusive stickers for the Panini World Cup sticker album.

Sainsbury’s has also launched its online site, which aims to help shoppers ‘Get match ready’. The page meaningfully meets shoppers’ needs, targeting specific missions that they might have, from the late-night match menu to the post-match refuel. It is a great example of a retailer thinking about how it can help shoppers find everything they may need in one place, and meet clear needs, while also providing them with inspiration on products to trial or encouraging them to add another product or two to their baskets.

Away from operators have promoted the shared fan experiences their venues and events can provide. Promoting its World Cup events, Flat Iron Square, a space for food and drink events, has focused on shared fan experiences, large crowds, and its impactful screen and sound setups.

The marketing campaigns are designed to incentivise early access for subscribers, creating urgency, while imagery promotes its fan zones and fans cheering on games. Combining these potential spending opportunities, Flat Iron Square can generate revenue through ticket sales and on-the-day purchase of food and drink.

Toca Social, a football-themed competitive socialising venue, with a strong food and drink offer, is offering table and group packages, alongside interactive games. Like other event venues, it aims to extend dwell time and turn the match into an experience to win footfall and spend before, during and after the game.