Argentina F Lionel Messi “appears in 18 of the 80 major World Cup campaigns” currently being tested across the U.S., U.K. and Argentina, per data provided by audience measurement platform System1, according to Rebecca Stewart of ADWEEK. The figures put Messi in “nearly a quarter (22%) of the biggest World Cup campaigns so far,” including ads from top-tier FIFA sponsors Adidas, Michelob Ultra and Lay’s. Messi “proved his worth” for brands during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, with campaigns fronted by him “consistently ranking as the highest-performing on social.” Most major 2026 World Cup commercials have “relied on ensemble casts that blend soccer’s most familiar faces with Hollywood stars.” In Adidas’ “cinematic ‘Backyard Legends,’ Messi mingles with [actor] Timothée Chalamet and [rapper] Bad Bunny, while ‘No Lay’s, No Game’ invites audiences to Messi’s epic watch party hosted alongside [Inter Miami co-owner David] Beckham and [actor] Steve Carell.” With top-tier sponsorship rights “reportedly commanding” between $80M and $100M, these brands will have paid “an additional premium to lock in soccer’s GOAT.” For some brands, Messi’s “built-in audience” (he is the fourth most popular person in the world on Instagram, with 632 million followers) and “loyal fans justify the cost.” According to Nielsen analysts, Messi was the “second-most powerful soccer player” after Al Nassr F Cristiano Ronaldo during the 2022 tournament, producing $2.6M of media value per post (ADWEEK, 6/1).
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