Trend Q&A: The 2022 FIFA World Cup special

World Cup retail strategies, cracking the US soccer audience and brand messaging to get fans excited. That and more on today’s episode.

Want to know what’s next? Listen to the show where our experts from around the globe unpack your biggest challenges. This week, WGSN’s President and CEO Carla Buzasi takes us to London, São Paulo and New York for a special episode on the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Hear from the friendly faces of our Insight team.

Watch the full episode below or read on for highlights of this episode:

Q: What product categories have the biggest opportunities around the World Cup? 
“The food and drink opportunity is massive. People already gather together around the World Cup, but lots of consumers are planning parties and family get-togethers as it’s also Christmas. Alcohol always sees a big uplift around the World Cup. At WGSN, we’ve been tracking the growth of no-and-low alcohol variants and we’re seeing more consumers move towards this, especially around the excesses of Christmas and the season in general.”
–  Joe McDonnell, Director, WGSN Insight
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Q: Malls and retailers in my country close during the FIFA World Cup. How big of an effect will this have on sales and how can we use the festivities to our advantage?
“The World Cup will divert some of the attention from the Holidays and it’s just one reason why this season is going to be different, especially amid the cost-of-living crisis. Start marketing the season earlier; make tailored promos visible, communicate value to your customers and create a seamless shopping experience on multiple channels, including WhatsApp.
– Hanne Lima, Customer Experience and Trends Strategist
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Q: Every World Cup, we hear this is going to be the year football cracks America. What’s your perspective of soccer in the US?
“Major League Soccer (MLS) – the men’s professional football league in the US – continues to expand year after year, but it’s not close in popularity compared to other sports. According to Sports Betting, the National Football League is the most popular sports competition in the US, followed by Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and in fifth place is the MLS. Football will continue to grow in popularity and participation, but competition for more established leagues and amateur associations will keep it at bay for some time.”
– Quentin Humphrey, Creative Strategist, WGSN
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Q: With so much advertising spend happening, what messaging are brands using to get fans excited?
“Five billion people across the world will tune in to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, providing advertisers with ample opportunity to reach fans. An estimated £150,000,000 in additional advertising revenue is set to hit Q4 2022, largely fuelled by World Cup activations and sponsorships. Brands are tapping into themes such as hope, positivity and togetherness to get fans excited about the upcoming tournament. They are also enlisting well-known football players such as Messi and TikTok creators such as Khaby Lame to connect with fans globally.”
– Melanie Larsen, Strategist, WGSN Insight
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