Frito-Lay upgrades FIFA sponsorship with fan awards at men’s and women’s World Cups

By The Associated Press

Brazil's Vinicius Junior, right, and Paraguay's Hugo Cuenca eye the ball during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the Defensores del Chaco Stadium, in Asuncion, Paraguay, Tuesday, Sept.10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jorge Saenz]

ZURICH (AP) — Texas-based snacks maker Frito-Lay will be a global sponsor for the next men’s and women’s World Cups and back a “fan of the match” award at every game, FIFA said on Thursday.

Frito-Lay upgrades its previous FIFA deals as a third-tier North American sponsor — for the men’s World Cup in 2022 and the Women’s World Cup last year — to become a second-tier global sponsor.

The value of the deals was not disclosed. They cover the men’s 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the 2027 women’s tournament in Brazil.

FIFA has budgeted to earn total marketing revenue of $2.7 billion for all of its tournaments from 2023-26, and has six top-tier commercial partners for the next men’s edition in 2026.

The Frito-Lay sponsorships “will break new ground at both tournaments by recognizing and rewarding the fan of the match at every match, spotlighting those in the stands whose passion and energy bring the beautiful game to life,” FIFA said.

The Lays brand has been a sponsor of the Champions League in Europe since 2015 with its parent company PepsiCo.

The FIFA deal covers just the Frito-Lay brands, which include Doritos, Cheetos, Cracker Jack and Quaker, because Coca-Cola is a top-tier World Cup partner through 2030.

Joining with FIFA ahead of the 2022 World Cup was “a great way for us to talk directly to the Hispanic community,” Frito-Lay, which has headquarters in Plano, Texas, has said.

Its signature commercial for that World Cup in Qatar featured David Beckham and Peyton Manning in a mock argument about “football or soccer.”

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