With the opening of the 2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup on June 11 a month away, the retail and food-and-beverage industries have begun their marketing Chaevi. In the past, the World Cup enjoyed a "World Cup boom" centered on street cheering and group viewings, but this time, due to match times and changes in consumer culture, companies appear to be putting more weight on efficiency-focused strategies rather than aggressive marketing.
According to the retail industry on the 13th, sports marketing using national team captain Son Heung-min is continuing alongside World Cup promotions. Lotte Wellfood's ice cream brand "World Cone" and Domino's Pizza picked Son as a promotional model. Hitejinro also chose Son as the model for its beer "Terra" and unveiled a special-edition product.
However, the mood of the entire industry jumping into large-scale promotion battles, as in the past, has faded. Rather than aggressively expanding separate World Cup–only discount events or TV ads, more companies are continuing to use existing app discounts, membership coupons, and brand day events. Instead of new campaigns with a heavy expense burden, they are naturally steering World Cup demand into ongoing, always-on promotions already in operation. There is also a growing trend toward experiential marketing with relatively high cost efficiency, such as giving away merchandise, pop-up events, and drawings for in-person match attendance.
Match times for the North and Central America World Cup are cited as the biggest variable. Because key matches will be held in the morning hours Korea time, the effect of boosting dining-out and alcohol consumption is likely to be limited. During the 2022 Qatar World Cup, thanks to nighttime scheduling, BHC Chicken saw same-day sales on match days double from the same day a month earlier. BBQ Chiken also posted a 1.7-fold increase, and Kyochon Chicken's sales rose 1.4 times from the previous month.
By contrast, with this North and Central America World Cup largely scheduled in the morning, some analysts say it will be hard to expect the same consumption boom as before. The post-COVID-19 shift to at-home viewing and small-scale consumption habits is also having an effect. The industry sees a rise in individual, rather than group-order, consumption, weakening the ripple effect of a World Cup boom compared with the past. There are even signs of budgets being spread to sports marketing with proven results, such as professional baseball.
A fried chicken franchise official said, "This World Cup is not at times that are good for group cheering while ordering chicken. It is difficult to expect the past atmosphere of gathering late at night at beer halls or restaurants to cheer."
Concerns about the effect relative to expense are also making companies more cautious. Using FIFA-related wording or images requires separate licensing expense, and in a situation where the box-office draw is uncertain, companies say it is hard to make aggressive investments. In fact, companies that are not official sponsors are running marketing using phrases like "soccer season" and "cheering for the national team" instead of "World Cup."
A food industry official said, "Rather than extensively preparing completely new promotions for this World Cup, we are maintaining efficient marketing such as existing app discounts or brand days," adding, "With high inflation, effect relative to expense is important, so the mood is to approach it from a risk-management perspective."
Still, the industry believes fandom for national team stars such as Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in, and interest in national team matches, remain intact. Because consumer sentiment may change depending on the team's actual results or momentum, corporations are expected to respond with practical promotions centered on limited-edition merchandise and experiential events rather than large-scale investments. A retail industry official said, "Recently, rather than marketing aimed at a World Cup boom, the mood is to focus on always-on promotions that entail less bleeding," adding, "If we run always-on promotions, consumers who buy products during the World Cup period can naturally benefit."