As the popular global soccer tournament kicks off across North American cities in mid-June, the playing field for CPG brands, retailers, and foodservice operators is open for potential wins. The month-long tournament, which includes teams from 48 countries, is expected to draw millions of spectators and viewers while generating interest in a wide range of products.

Circana’s Voice of Retail recently released a report spotlighting the event’s viewership trends, shopper data, early activations, and category performance. Among other findings, the study revealed that fandom in the U.S. is growing, with 19% of Americans reporting that they are interested in the event.  In the U.S. – where the game is usually called “soccer” instead of the traditional “football” term – fans tend to be younger, multicultural, and urban.

Circana’s insights point to key trends that consumer-facing businesses can leverage in a bid to win over soccer enthusiasts. 

Gearing Up for Gametime

More than a third (34%) of consumers who plan to buy fashion or athletic performance items ahead of the competition say they are opting for team logo apparel, such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, and outerwear, while 32% report that they are interested in player jerseys and in accessories like bags, socks, and jewelry. A similar percentage (31%) intend to purchase a team hat or cap.

Winning with Watch Parties

The final game of the last tournament of its kind in 2022 was one of the most viewed sporting events in history. Now, four years later, millions of consumers are expected to watch matches and root for their favorite teams. Nearly two-thirds (66%) of consumers told Circana researchers that they plan to view this year’s matches at home by themselves or with members of their household. This can be a social opportunity for engagement, too: 24% of respondents say that they plan to watch matches with friends and family who don’t live with them, up two points compared to the recent Super Bowl sporting event. An additional 7% anticipate that they will venture out to a bar or restaurant to watch, which is two times more than away-from-home viewership around the Big Game.

Social Commerce as a Top Seed

For the 2026 tournament, TikTok will host a dedicated hub for exclusive and curated content, opening up marketing and merchandising opportunities for brands and retailers that can capture attention on that platform as user engagement spikes in June and July.

Foodservice Goals to Score

The games for this tournament will be played in 11 U.S. cities from mid-June through mid-July, providing a lift to some of those local economies. Based on its insights, Circana projects that while major urban centers like Los Angeles and New York City won’t likely see a major boost, smaller markets such as Kansas City are poised to get a bump in traffic. Mid-sized host cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle are expected to benefit from a moderate uptick in visits during the tournament’s one-month time frame.

As they come up with their game plan to reach soccer and international sporting fans, retailers can get more insights from Circana’s Voice of Retail experts. Click here to learn more.