The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from June 12 to July 20, is emerging as a major global marketing stage for Chinese brands seeking to expand overseas, as fragmented viewing habits and digital advertising tools reshape how companies participate in top-tier sports events.
2026年国际足联世界杯将于6月12日至7月20日举行。随着观众收视习惯日趋碎片化，数字广告工具改变企业参与顶级赛事的方式，本届世界杯正成为中国品牌拓展海外的重要全球营销平台。
The tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is expected to attract more than 6 billion viewers worldwide, with overall exposure projected to rise 20 percent from the previous soccer World Cup, according to a recent survey by global advertising technology company The Trade Desk.
全球广告技术公司萃弈（The Trade Desk）最新调查显示，本届赛事由美国、加拿大、墨西哥联合举办，预计将吸引全球超60亿观众，整体曝光量较上届世界杯增长20%。
Chinese companies increasingly see the World Cup as more than just a platform for logo exposure. They are going to use the event to strengthen global brand recognition through technology, streaming platforms and social media.
中国企业不再将世界杯仅视为品牌展示平台，而是借助赛事、通过技术、流媒体平台与社交媒体提升全球品牌知名度。
"Top-tier sporting events are helping Chinese brands enter a more advanced stage of globalization," said Wang Xueli, director of Tsinghua University's Center for Development of Sports Industry.
清华大学体育产业发展研究中心主任王雪莉表示：“顶级体育赛事正推动中国品牌进入全球化更高阶段。”
"In the past, many Chinese companies mainly wanted to build basic brand awareness. But now, through top global events such as the World Cup, they are trying to strengthen their position in mid-to high-end markets and showcase their technological capabilities."
“过去，中国企业多以提升基础品牌认知为主。如今，通过世界杯等全球顶级赛事，企业正着力巩固中高端市场地位，展现技术实力。”
TTD's survey found that audience behavior around the upcoming tournament is becoming increasingly fragmented. At least one-third of viewers plan to follow matches through multiple channels, including traditional television, sports apps, connected TV platforms and short-form video content.
萃弈调查显示，本届世界杯观众观赛行为更趋碎片化，至少三分之一观众将通过传统电视、体育应用、联网电视及短视频等多渠道观赛。
In North America, 45 percent of US respondents and 47 percent of Canadian respondents said that they would use sports apps to follow the event, while more than 40 percent in both countries planned to consume content through connected TV and streaming platforms.
北美地区，45%的美国受访者和47%的加拿大受访者表示将通过体育应用关注赛事，两国均有超四成观众计划通过联网电视与流媒体平台收看内容。
"The World Cup is evolving from a 90-minute match into a long-cycle content ecosystem spanning pre-match buildup, live interaction and post-match engagement," said Ashley Wu, senior director of business development at TTD China. "That creates new opportunities for Chinese brands to build sustained connections with overseas consumers."
萃弈中国业务发展高级总监吴昱霖表示：“世界杯正从90分钟赛事，演变为覆盖赛前预热、直播互动、赛后联动的长周期内容生态，为中国品牌与海外消费者建立持久联系创造新机遇。”
The changes are also lowering barriers for smaller brands.
这一变化也降低了中小品牌的参与门槛。
Previous soccer World Cups were largely dominated by multinational sponsors who spent heavily on stadium exposure and naming rights. But artificial intelligence-driven advertising, streaming platforms and social media now allow smaller companies to target overseas consumers more precisely and at lower cost.
往届世界杯多由跨国赞助商主导，企业重金投入赛场广告与冠名权益。如今，人工智能广告、流媒体平台与社交媒体让中小企业得以更低成本精准触达海外消费者。
"Sports marketing is no longer only about sponsoring a team or buying billboard space," Wu said. "Even brands without huge budgets can now reach highly specific audiences through multi-channel campaigns."
吴昱霖称：“体育营销不再局限于赞助球队或投放广告牌，即便预算有限的品牌，也能通过多渠道传播触达精准受众。”
Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have pushed sports content far beyond core soccer fans, helping brands reach younger and female consumers. TTD's survey found that women now account for nearly half of viewers in several European markets, while Gen Z audiences in Spain and Italy showed engagement levels above 90 percent.
抖音、Instagram等平台让体育内容突破核心球迷群体，助力品牌触达年轻用户与女性消费者。萃弈调查显示，欧洲多个市场女性观众占比接近半数，西班牙、意大利Z世代观众参与度超90%。
China's established global brands are also embedding themselves into tournament operations.
中国成熟的全球化品牌也深度参与赛事运营。
Hisense, the official display technology partner for the tournament's video assistant referee system, will supply RGB Mini LED displays for FIFA VAR centers. Meanwhile, Lenovo is deploying more than 10,000 devices and more than 200 engineers across all 16 venues, introducing AI-powered "digital twin" technology capable of generating 3D virtual replicas of players and match situations.
海信作为本届世界杯视频助理裁判系统（VAR）官方显示技术合作伙伴，将为国际足联VAR中心提供RGB Mini LED显示屏。联想则在全部16座赛场部署超万台设备与200余名工程师，应用AI数字孪生技术，生成球员与赛场场景的3D虚拟模型。
Analysts say such partnerships reflect a broader shift in how Chinese companies engage with global sports events.
分析人士指出，此类合作反映出中国企业参与全球体育赛事的模式正在发生深刻转变。
"Chinese firms are no longer simply buying advertising boards around stadiums," Wang from Tsinghua University said. "They are becoming part of the technological infrastructure behind major international sporting events."
清华大学王雪莉表示：“中国企业不再只是购买场边广告位，正成为国际大型赛事技术支撑体系的重要组成部分。”
For Chinese companies, the appeal of global sports marketing may also lie in its relative stability during a volatile global geopolitical and economic environment.
对中国企业而言，全球体育营销的吸引力还在于，在全球地缘政治与经济环境波动背景下，其具备相对稳定性。
"Whether it's tariffs or geopolitical tensions, sports remain one of the few globally positive and emotionally resonant topics," Wu from TTD China said. "For Chinese brands trying to build long-term international recognition, that kind of certainty has become increasingly valuable."
萃弈中国吴昱霖表示：“无论关税还是地缘冲突，体育都是全球范围内少有的积极且能引发情感共鸣的话题。对致力于打造长期国际影响力的中国品牌而言，这种确定性愈发珍贵。”
In the first quarter of the year, China's overall outbound direct investment rose 8.9 percent year-on-year to $44.53 billion, according to official data.
官方数据显示，今年一季度，中国对外直接投资同比增长8.9%，达445.3亿美元。
dominate /ˈdɒmɪneɪt/主导，掌控
sponsor /ˈspɒnsə(r)/赞助商v.赞助
resonant /ˈrezənənt/引发共鸣的
embed into /ɪmˈbed ˈɪntuː/深度融入；参与
digital twin technology /ˈdɪdʒɪtl twɪn tekˈnɒlədʒi/数字孪生技术
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