Zappi study: The 2026 World Cup is a workplace event

As the United States prepares to host the largest FIFA World Cup in history, new research from consumer insights platform Zappi suggests the tournament will be defined as much by where people watch as who wins.

Zappi surveyed 2,000 U.S. consumers who plan to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The findings suggest fans are increasingly planning to fit matches into their workday rather than take time away from it, while a relatively small group of highly engaged soccer fans is poised to drive a disproportionate share of spending around the tournament.

Nearly half of consumers (48%) say they are likely to watch World Cup matches during work hours, highlighting how the tournament is increasingly becoming part of the workday rather than something fans experience outside of it.

Rather than skipping work entirely, most expect to fit matches around their existing responsibilities:

• 41% plan to watch matches in the background while working

• 37% plan to use a second screen while working

• 29% expect to take longer breaks to catch parts of matches

A smaller but still significant group expects to make more substantial adjustments:

• 23% say they will pause work entirely to watch key moments

• 30% plan to take time off specifically to watch matches

Consumers also expect their schedules to adapt around the tournament. Nearly 40% say they will definitely adjust their work schedules to accommodate matches, rising to 60% among those who watch soccer several times per week.

Taken together, the findings suggest the World Cup is becoming less of a "call in sick" event and more of a "watch while working" event.

Consumers who follow soccer more frequently are significantly more likely to purchase World Cup-related products, suggesting that the tournament's commercial impact will be concentrated among its most engaged fans.

Likelihood to purchase World Cup-related products rises sharply with soccer engagement:

• 23% of people who never watch soccer are likely to purchase World Cup products

• 55% of people who watch a few times per month are likely to purchase

• 69% of weekly viewers are likely to purchase

• 88% of people who watch soccer several times per week are likely to purchase

The same pattern appears among consumers planning to watch matches during the workday. Those most likely to tune in while working are also among the most valuable audiences for brands.

• 85% of consumers who are very likely to watch matches during work hours are likely to purchase World Cup-related products

• Just 22% of consumers who are very unlikely to watch during work are likely to purchase

The World Cup's commercial opportunity will be concentrated among a smaller group of highly engaged fans who plan to organize both their schedules and spending around the tournament.

As FIFA prepares to introduce commercial inventory around hydration breaks during the 2026 World Cup, Zappi found that the tournament's most engaged fans are also its most advertising-friendly audience.

Nearly three-quarters (74%) of consumers who watch soccer several times per week say they feel positive about in-match advertising, compared with just 5% who feel negative.

That finding runs counter to a common assumption that hardcore fans are the most resistant to commercialization.

However, fans do draw boundaries around how advertising appears. When asked which forms of brand activity feel disruptive, respondents were most likely to cite:

• Ads during live gameplay (44%)

• Excessive on-screen branding (35%)

• Mid-match commercial breaks (34%)

The findings suggest fans are not necessarily rejecting advertising itself. Rather, they are most sensitive to formats that interrupt the viewing experience. For brands buying inventory during these periods, be mindful of the context and lead with lighthearted messages that complement the action on the field.

Despite the emergence of a new generation of stars, player influence remains a major force in World Cup fandom.

• 87% say players influence which teams they support at least a little

• 57% say players influence support somewhat or a lot

• Only 13% say players have no influence at all

Open-ended responses suggest Lionel Messi remains the player Americans are most excited to watch, generating more mentions than Cristiano Ronaldo and Christian Pulisic combined. Yet roughly 1 in 8 respondents could not name a player they were looking forward to watching – highlighting a uniquely American dynamic where enthusiasm for the World Cup often outpaces familiarity with the players themselves.

Methodology

Zappi surveyed 2,000 U.S. consumers who plan to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup in May 2026 using the Zappi platform. The study explored anticipated viewing behaviors, purchasing intent, fandom, and attitudes toward advertising ahead of the tournament.