Copa América kicked off a summer of soccer in 2024, but it’s the start of a long road to the North American World Cup in 2026 for marketers, broadcasters and brands.
As the United States hosts 16 teams from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean during the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol)’s quadrennial soccer tournament, which culminates in a final on July 14, brands have lined up to court both U.S. soccer fans and the event’s primarily Spanish-speaking field.
During matches in the Atlanta, Dallas, San Francisco, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Orlando, Austin and New York metro areas, marketers and brands have launched campaigns either establishing or confirming their place in soccer during the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
However, even as Copa América yields to this year’s Leagues Cup between Major League Soccer (MLS) and Liga MX teams and next year’s Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, brands are trying to grab fans’ attention and hold it through numerous big-tent events.
As creative agency Boden pointed out in a recent report, Copa América, in particular, presents brands with a unique opportunity to support fans’ teams of choice while connecting with the Spanish-speaking U.S. soccer market that’s helped drive the game’s growth. Boden acknowledged that Argentinian star Lionel Messi alone brought more than 1 million new viewers to MLS after his U.S. arrival last year, aided by the presence of Inter Miami teammates and former FC Barcelona colleagues Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
While Hispanic fans contributed to the 3.5 million-strong audience that watched Messi’s Argentina defeat Brazil at Copa América in 2021, Boden noted that they’ve also influenced the 65% of non-Hispanics who prefer to watch the Spanish-language broadcast of soccer matches on Copa América’s TelevisaUnivison and other outlets. As a result, brands approached Copa América—and their two-year soccer sojourn—with a multicultural, Messi-heavy message.
Here’s how brands are getting involved in the Copa América tournament.
Major League Soccer via SUM (Soccer United Marketing)
Since its formation in 2002, SUM has served as the marketing branch for MLS and has played a pivotal role in the sport’s marketing throughout the United States. Just ahead of handling promotion and event sales for Copa América—and operating 130 international matches across North America in 2024—SUM refreshed its brand and logo as it refined its mission.
