As the countdown to the FIFA World Cup 2026 begins, new data shows the U.S. is fast becoming one of the most valuable markets for sports sponsors globally.
According to Nielsen’s 2025 Global Sports Report, 67 per cent of global football (soccer) fans find sponsoring brands more appealing, a figure that spikes dramatically in the U.S., where football fans are significantly more receptive to sponsorships than the country’s general sports audience, second only to Brazil.
It’s a market brands can’t afford to ignore. The American football fanbase is young, diverse and affluent: 76 per cent are Millennials or Gen Z, 22 per cent identify as Hispanic, and 34 per cent live in households earning more than $100,000 a year.
Nielsen’s latest report also highlights a global shift in fan engagement and opportunity areas for brands. Interest in women’s sports, for instance, has reached 50 per cent of the global population in 2024, up from 45 per cent in 2022, as viewership and commercial backing continue to grow.
Interest in women’s sports is also growing, reaching 50 per cent of the general population globally in 2024, up from 45 per cent in 2022
With major tournaments across 2025, 2026 and 2027, the report signals a golden era for rights holders and advertisers willing to align with fan values, tap into passionate communities, and ride the global momentum of sport.
Today’s sports fans are more connected and passionate than ever. Globalisation, diverse fandoms, and evolving media consumption are reshaping sports engagement. The report identifies three growth factors, empowering marketers to optimize sponsorship strategies and unlock global sports potential.
Jon Stainer, Global General Manager, Nielsen Sports, said: “The global sports industry is experiencing an exhilarating evolution, as live sports continue to grow and extend into all parts of media. At Nielsen, we are uniquely positioned to deliver the most important insights for broadcasters, brands, and organizations interested in connecting with fans. The data in our 2025 Global Sports Report illuminates precisely the opportunities that exist for these partners as the worldwide appeal of live sport, especially with major, worldwide sporting events on the horizon, gains even more momentum.”
Firstly, the report identifies that football, as the world’s most popular sport, presents a compelling opportunity to deepen engagement and drive ROI. With 51 per cent global fandom, football significantly outpaces all other sports with notable regional variations — including Mexico at 64 per cent fandom and a substantial 62 million fans in the U.S. alone, making it the fourth largest market globally. But getting brand sponsorship right depends on understanding the nuances of fans in target markets so as to capitalize on this passionate and engaged fanbase.
Second, the significant surge in interest in women’s sports presents unparalleled opportunities for strategic brand investment and engagement, with particularly strong growth in major markets like India, China, the UK, and Germany. This growth is mirrored by specific sport expansions, notably women’s football and the WNBA, which has seen its U.S. fanbase grow over 31 per cent in two years to 46.9 million, alongside a remarkable 201 per cent increase in 2024 regular season viewership.
Critically, women now form a larger share of fans for both women’s (47 per cent) and men’s (42 per cent) sports (up from 45 per cent and 40 per cent in 2022). This creates new, diverse, and highly engaged audiences demanding tailored approaches and brand opportunities. This expanding, receptive female fanbase underscores that supporting women’s sports is not merely a social gesture but a compelling business imperative, offering brands access to new consumer segments—as evidenced by luxury brands like Coach entering the WNBA sponsorship space, leveraging high purchase intent among women’s sports fans.
Third, the rapidly evolving sports media landscape offers significant opportunities for brands, advertisers, rights holders, and marketers to engage diverse audiences across traditional and digital platforms. Live sports continue to be a powerful driver of fan engagement, with streaming attracting a growing segment of older fans (21 per cent increase in 50+ viewers between 2022-2024), while innovative formats like the TGL golf league are successfully bringing in younger, non-traditional viewers (32 per cent of 18-34 TGL viewers are not regular PGA viewers) to linear channels.
Concurrently, social media is proving instrumental in globalizing sports and cultivating new fan bases. This is exemplified by the rapid rise of rugby fandom in new markets, driven by influential athletes like Ilona Maher—who grew her Instagram following by 141 per cent during last year’s Olympic Games—and the accelerated growth of women following rugby globally. This dynamic environment, coupled with the emergence of new sports like pickleball and successful social-first brand activations (e.g., Nature Made®’s #ProPickle campaign), underscores the critical need for brands to strategically leverage diversified media and authentic social engagement to reach expanding fan demographics.
