The NFL Should Be Jealous of the World Cup
Mikayla went to England’s opening match against Croatia. Kalia went to Belgium vs. Senegal in Seattle.
Different cities, different teams, different stadiums — same immediate takeaway: that was the best sporting event either of us has ever been to.
And honestly, the game started three hours before the players stepped on the field.
The local stadium bars were flooded with fans from all over the world. Jerseys everywhere. Flags everywhere. Chants spilling into the streets. People who had never met were suddenly best friends because they were wearing the same colors, singing the same songs, or loudly disagreeing about the same referee call before kickoff had even happened.
The vibes were unreal.
Our extremely professional marketing takeaway? The NFL should be jealous.
Not because the NFL is struggling — obviously, it’s still one of the most powerful sports and entertainment machines in the world — but because the World Cup has something every major league wishes it could manufacture at scale: fandom that feels bigger than the product itself.
The NFL has elite entertainment, massive media power, superstar athletes, fantasy leagues, tailgates, merch, and a weekly ritual most brands would kill for. But the World Cup has built-in belonging. You do not just watch your team; you represent something, and that changes the entire emotional architecture of the event.
That’s what every league and brand should be studying.
The World Cup works because it gives people something bigger to belong to, a visible way to signal that belonging, and a ritual that starts long before the main event. The scarves, kits, flags, songs, packed bars, family traditions, and city-wide energy are not side effects of the experience — they are the experience.
Which, by the way, is the real brand lesson here.
The strongest brands do not just capture attention; they create participation. They give people a role to play, a reason to show up early, and a story that feels personal enough to carry home.
The NFL has fans.
The World Cup has believers.
And after seeing it in person, we can confirm - every major sporting league should be taking notes.
