Photo by Fauzan Saari on Unsplash

The United States, Mexico and Canada are preparing to host the biggest ever FIFA World Cup between June 11 and July 19, 2026.

Stakeholders will use the tournament to change habits, form new relationships and improve engagement. Betting will play a key role. The sportsbooks featured on comparison platform bettingtop10.ca have a wide range of World Cup markets available.

Operators such as TonyBet will use bonus promotions to attract new bettors and reward existing customers. This type of marketing plays a significant role in building long-term relationships.

With that in mind, read on as we analyse how the World Cup will boost soccer engagement in North America over the next few years.

A Media Moment That Becomes a Movement

The 2026 World Cup will supercharge soccer’s media presence in North America in a way that even the English Premier League has not managed.

Prime-time kick-offs, wall-to-wall coverage and relentless storytelling will constantly position soccer in the news and broader conversations.

Broadcasters will invest heavily in analysis and programming that takes viewers into granular details about soccer. That richness of narrative is crucial for attracting long-term attention.

Streaming platforms and social media will also amplify soccer. Highlights and interviews will create an exciting cycle in which casual viewers become informed fans.

They will subsequently become vocal advocates, breathing more cultural life into soccer in North America and embedding it into everyday sports consumption.

Participation as a Lifestyle Rather Than a Pipeline

Lifestyle participation will be enhanced by the World Cup.When a sport dominates the airwaves, people naturally feel like partaking in their own way.

Soccer’s low barrier to entry and social nature mean people can easily participate in pick-up games, amateur leagues and casual street-side formats, as the sport feels freshly relevant. This helps to strengthen the emotional connection with soccer.

Playing soccer on the field or as a pastime on a gaming console can make new fans appreciate its intensity and challenges. This can turn casual spectators into emotionally invested stakeholders.

In North America, where fitness culture and community-driven activities are popular, soccer can insert itself into the picture. The World Cup will provide the spark, but soccer’s ability to fit into everyday life will be its defining appeal.

This normalisation of soccer as something to do, not just watch, will boost long-term engagement long after the tournament has ended.

Cities, Identity and the Local Multiplier Effect

Hosting the World Cup gives North America a golden opportunity to embed soccer into its cultural identity for the foreseeable future.

Organisers can use fan zones, cultural festivals and matchday rituals to transform the entire region into a celebration arena. These kinds of experiences have a long-lasting impact.

They can change how residents view their city and the role soccer plays in it. Staging a great tournament automatically becomes part of local folklore.

The knock-on effect will be felt in domestic leagues across the region. Professional teams benefit from increased curiosity and participation in soccer, leading to more footfall.

Local bars, lounges and community spaces can also tap into soccer to bolster business revenue. The sport will act as a nexus that links neighbourhoods and communities through a common language. It will build a sense of ownership – our game, our city – that encourages repeated engagement.

The 2026 World Cup will be a catalyst that will encourage cities to embrace soccer as a platform for expression and belonging.

A Commercial Flywheel with Staying Power

The World Cup will undoubtedly accelerate soccer’s commercial momentum in North America. Brands that previously capitalised on the sport’s popularity will benefit massively.

Experiential marketing, sponsorships and partnerships will naturally follow after the tournament. This influx of investment raises production values and improves fan experiences.

The commercial growth won’t settle at the top. It will trickle down to media outlets, brand apparel, local bars and digital platforms, incentivising them to keep covering and creating around soccer.

Data-powered engagement, personalised content and localised storytelling help to keep fans connected to the sport after the showpiece tournament.

The World Cup spins the wheel, but sustained engagement keeps it turning, infusing soccer more intricately into North America’s sporting economy.