Major League Soccer (MLS) has appointed Ogilvy as its strategic and creative partner to help America’s top football league to leverage the buzz around the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The MLS wants to introduce more football fans and viewers to the American league after spending years on improving the standard of American soccer.
The creative strategy will focus on attention and spectacle. Football is the most popular sport in the world but languishes behind other US sports in America, including the NFL, NBA and MLB.
Ogilvy’s first campaign, ‘MLS is Back’, is set to launch just before the 2026 season kicks off in late February, with additional campaigns planned during the mid-season World Cup break.
The new relationship aims to generate steady growth, going far beyond a one-off FIFA World Cup sugar rush.
The campaigns will highlight the excitement of the sport and the energy of MLS fans while also supporting local club engagement to foster long-term fandom across communities.
In Australia, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup led to a spike in interest in the women’s game, particularly The Matildas. Although grassroots player numbers increased in women’s football, it has not led to huge audience growth in the Women’s A League.
