Sports Media Report
Michelob ULTRA, the Official Beer Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, has announced a fully integrated campaign built around an often overlooked insight: for the overwhelming majority of fans, the out-of-home experience isn’t a consolation prize for not having a ticket – it is the FIFA World Cup™.
The campaign features two new approaches to serving every type of 21+ fan in attendance, both powered by FANZO’s technology.
For international visitors:
With 1.24m foreign fans expected to travel to the United States for the tournament and an average trip duration of 14-days, the majority of every visiting fan’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ experience will happen away from stadiums.
Advertising across airports, train stations and metro systems in host cities will carry QR codes, driving arriving fans directly to a Michelob ULTRA venue map, powered by FANZO. This will ensure visitors can find great local venues showing the tournament and share the experience surrounded by other passionate fans from the moment they set foot in the country.
For American soccer fans:
Michelob ULTRA has partnered with Men in Blazers Media Network – the podcast and media brand that has done more than any other outlet to grow soccer culture in the United States – to identify and celebrate the 250 best fan venues in the country.
Curated by Men In Blazers’ audience and powered by FANZO’s venue technology, the list is the definitive guide to where American soccer fans can watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™ at an official Michelob ULTRA partner venue – chosen based on atmosphere, community and experience rather than geography alone.
Roger Bennett, founder and CEO of Men In Blazers, said, “The U.S. soccer bar is a sacred place. These institutions are not just watering holes with the match on the big screen, they are true communities that have helped propel the rise of football across the nation. These are places where fans come together to be collectively transported to Old Trafford, Anfield, or Camp Nou for 90 minutes at a time – making lifetime memories together.
“Partnering with FANZO has allowed us to help local and traveling supporters find these venues that transcend with their pies, pints, songs, and atmosphere. We’re thrilled to spotlight them and the people on both sides of the bar who make them unique.”
Together, Michelob ULTRA’s campaign represents the first coordinated, technology-led strategy by a FIFA World Cup™ sponsor built specifically around the out-of-home fan as a primary audience – rather than an afterthought.
Leo MacLehose, CEO of FANZO said, “Men In Blazers have spent fifteen years identifying and celebrating the places where American soccer culture is made. Michelob ULTRA has built its FIFA World Cup 2026™ campaign around that key insight – even for fans with tickets, the out-of-home experience is where most will spend the majority of this tournament.
Combining that cultural authority with the technology to connect every arriving fan to a great nearby venue is something we’re hugely proud to be part of. By demonstrating that the undervalued out-of-home audience can be reached, served and measured at scale, it changes the conversation for every rights holder and brand thinking about where their next sponsorship dollar lands.”
