Three Key Shifts Opening New Paths to World Cup Audiences
By: Ally Appelbaum, Vice President, Global CTV Partnerships
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is undeniably going to be a huge moment for brands, broadcasters and soccer fans alike, and reaching those fans isn’t just limited to buying ad space during matches (which tends to be extremely limited and not as accessible for many programmatic buyers). Since Nexxen last reported on World Cup viewing trends in January, the landscape has shifted, with new free access points emerging as 86% of World Cup viewers say they have cut back on discretionary spending.
Nexxen’s FIFA World Cup Predictions & Insights Report: Volume 2, built from past, present and future-looking signals, is designed to track those shifts as they happen. Fans are making more flexible decisions around how, where and what they watch, stretching attention beyond the live broadcast. This fragmentation may complicate planning, but it also opens new opportunities for advertisers to reach fans across the full World Cup experience.
1. Free access will bring more fans into the tournament
Free access is turning some previously unlikely viewers into reachable audiences. Nexxen’s earlier World Cup audience predictions report anticipated that a surprise free access point could push more viewers toward free ad-support television (FAST) channels. That prediction is already playing out, with select marquee matches and related coverage now set to stream for free on Tubi and Xumo.
The latest research found that 14 million people who were not planning to watch any games now plan to engage after learning about those free viewing options. For advertisers, lower-friction access extends reach beyond committed soccer fans and opens a path to more casual, cost-conscious viewers who may have otherwise stayed outside the tournament.
2. Price sensitivity is moving match viewing into more social settings
Economic pressure is also changing where fans plan to watch. 49% of total World Cup fans are looking for free ways to watch matches this year, and that behavior is showing up in viewing plans: 9 million more fans now expect to watch in free out-of-home (OOH) settings like bars and restaurants, compared with Nexxen’s first report.
More OOH viewing changes the context around the audience. When fans gather for a match, the event becomes part of a larger social occasion built around plans, food, drinks and the shared energy of watching together. For advertisers tied to those real-world behaviors, from restaurants and beverages to ride-share, retail and local entertainment, the opportunity is to meet fans when the match is shaping what they do, buy and experience together.
3. Surrounding content can expand reach beyond match viewers
Live match inventory will draw major demand, but surrounding content will carry a large audience of its own. Nexxen found that 19 million Americans do not plan to watch matches but do plan to follow related content, including highlights, recaps, opening ceremony coverage, pre- and post-game shows and creator or influencer content.
Put differently, these fans are still keen to participate in the cultural moment, even if they are not watching full matches. Highlights deliver immediacy, recaps add context, pre- and post-game shows build analysis and creator content brings the tournament into culture and personality. For advertisers, the incrementality comes from reaching fans who may not appear in a live-match-only strategy but still show clear interest in the tournament.
Fragmentation brings the full audience opportunity into sharper focus. A fan streaming on a FAST channel might not engage like those watching with friends or following creator content, and each moment calls for a different message and level of commitment. But advertisers that can connect to fans across moments and touchpoints? They’re sure to unlock even more from this World Cup audience (without breaking the bank).
For a deeper look at how World Cup fan behavior is shifting in response to economic pressure, and where advertisers can capture new incremental opportunities across free streaming, out-of-home viewing, paid subscriptions and shoulder content, read Nexxen’s FIFA World Cup Predictions and Insights Report: Volume 2.
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