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At last week’s Sweets & Snacks Expo in Las Vegas, World Cup branding and football-themed promotions were notably scarce. Aside from a handful of targeted campaigns, most major candy companies appeared reluctant to commit heavily to FIFA-linked marketing, with many instead reserving advertising spend for the upcoming celebrations surrounding America’s 250th anniversary of independence.
Notably, none of the leading US confectionery manufacturers have emerged as official FIFA World Cup 2026 sponsors.
Instead, companies including Ferrara and Hershey are pursuing ‘World Cup-timed’ or football-inspired campaigns without formal FIFA commercial affiliation – a distinction that matters in a tournament where FIFA tightly controls and licenses all official branding, marks and sponsorship language.
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That licensing environment likely explains the subdued presence at the Las Vegas Convention Center, where the only prominent FIFA-linked signage came from PepsiCo-owned Lay’s.
FIFA recently confirmed Lay’s as an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, with the partnership extending across PepsiCo’s broader snack portfolio through in-store activations, digital campaigns, fan zones and stadium branding.
While technically snack-led rather than confectionery-focused, the Lay’s deal remains the clearest example of a major American food company publicly aligning itself with FIFA ahead of the tournament.
Snacking Brands Lead the Charge
Despite limited official sponsorship activity, confectionery and snack manufacturers clearly recognise the commercial opportunity associated with football’s growing popularity in North America.
What marketing investment is being deployed is largely concentrated within snacking divisions, where brands see opportunities to tap into both hardcore football supporters and the tournament’s broader casual audience.
Among the most active is Mondelēz International, which recently unveiled a major ‘summer of soccer’ campaign featuring US football stars Christian Pulisic, Alex Morgan and Sophia Wilson alongside global music icon Pitbull.
According to Nick Rogers, director of portfolio marketing and sponsorship at Mondelēz, sporting occasions provide a natural platform for the company’s brands.
“Many of our brands across the whole portfolio have a rich history and heritage when it comes to sporting events as an occasion,” Rogers told Marketing Dive. “It’s about harnessing the halo effect of this summer of sport.”
The company expects select World Cup fixtures – particularly matches involving the United States, Mexico and Lionel Messi’s Argentina – to attract audiences exceeding 50 million viewers in the US alone.
Rogers described these fixtures as “mini Super Bowl moments” for advertisers and consumer brands.
Hershey Backs ‘Captain America’
Meanwhile, The Hershey Company is making perhaps the strongest football-focused statement within the confectionery category by celebrating Pennsylvania native and US national team captain Christian Pulisic ahead of the tournament.
The company recently launched a commercial campaign pairing one of America’s best-known chocolate brands with the AC Milan star, whom Time magazine famously dubbed ‘Captain America’.
To deepen the hometown connection, Hershey has introduced limited-edition 'PULISIC’S' Milk Chocolate Bars featuring custom wrappers bearing the player’s printed signature.
The initiative reflects a broader strategy among confectionery companies to leverage football culture and athlete partnerships without directly engaging in costly official FIFA sponsorship agreements.
Ferrara Targets US Soccer Fans
Ferrara is also ramping up football-themed promotions following its newly announced multi-year partnership with the US Soccer Federation.
The company has introduced limited-edition offerings across several of its best-known brands, including a new SweeTARTS Ropes flavour, the return of Berry Punch NERDS Gummy Clusters and a soccer-themed Trolli Sour Brite Squad pack.
The move positions Ferrara to capitalise on rising interest in football among younger American consumers while strengthening ties with US Soccer ahead of the home-hosted World Cup.
Ferrero Goes ‘All In’
Ferrero has likewise joined the growing wave of football-themed marketing activity through its ‘Go All In’ summer promotion.
The campaign spans brands including Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Butterfinger and Blue Bunny, offering consumers the opportunity to win prizes – including a $1 million grand prize – through qualifying purchases.
To front the campaign, Ferrero partnered with seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, underscoring the crossover appeal brands hope to create between America’s traditional sports audience and football’s expanding fanbase.
“When Ferrero came to me, it was an easy yes,” Brady said in the campaign announcement. “They stand for quality, passion and excellence — the same values I’ve always believed in and live by.”
A Tournament Opportunity Still Emerging
For now, however, the broader US confectionery industry appears cautious about fully embracing the FIFA World Cup commercially.
While football’s audience in North America continues to grow rapidly, many manufacturers appear more comfortable aligning with the tournament indirectly through occasion-based marketing, athlete endorsements and themed product launches rather than pursuing expensive official FIFA partnerships.
That could change once the tournament begins and audience figures materialise. For confectionery and snack brands alike, the World Cup represents not only a sporting spectacle, but potentially one of the largest shared consumer moments in modern North American marketing history.
