In a new interview with The Drum, Ralf Ollig, vice-president of product at Sportradar ad:s, argues that marketers gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup need to rethink everything they know about sports advertising.
Traditional sponsorship may have dominated past tournaments, with brands pouring up to $1.8bn into rights at the last World Cup, but, he says, the old playbook is no longer fit for a fanbase that moves fast, feels deeply, and expects relevance in real time.
“Traditionally, brands activate around these events by spending sponsorship money… but they focus more on the placement than the moment itself,” Ollig explains. “You might have your LED boards or your TV slots, but that doesn’t mean you’re speaking to fans at the right emotional point.”
That emotional point – the ‘moment’ – is where the real opportunity lies. Whether it’s a goal, a comeback, or a heartbreaking exit, fans shift into distinct emotional states that make them more or less receptive to brand messaging. “Think of your local team winning or your country winning – you’re probably much more likely to react to a brand message after that,” he says. With the right moment-based targeting, Sportradar is seeing up to 23% uplift in purchase intent.
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To unlock this at scale, AI, live data and dynamic creative are becoming the engine of a new kind of sports advertising – spotting key moments, predicting them, and serving the right message in real time, Ollig explains.
This is where the real power shift occurs. No longer do only the biggest global sponsors get to participate in moments of national pride or global triumph. With real-time signals, dynamic creative and omnichannel execution, any brand can now tell emotionally intelligent stories at the exact point fans are most engaged.
Ollig’s advice for marketers heading into the World Cup cycle is simple: stop planning around schedules. Start planning around emotion. Find out how, now – you won’t want to miss this interview.