With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, FOX One is making its pitch to soccer fans with a new campaign built around a simple truth: when the World Cup is on, everything else comes second.
The campaign, titled “The FIFA World Cup Comes First,” was developed in partnership with our friends at Anomaly and positions FOX Corporation’s direct-to-consumer streaming service as a one-stop destination for the tournament. FOX One will stream all 104 matches live in 4K, with features including multiview options, key replays, and additional viewing tools designed for fans who do not want to miss a moment.
The work leans into the all-consuming nature of World Cup fandom with four 30-second films: Driving Test, Break, Lifeguard, and Birthday. Each spot follows fans as they attempt to watch a match while supposedly handling something important in real life, from taking a driving test to lifeguarding at a swimming pool.
Scored to Frankie Valli’s Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, the films treat soccer obsession less like a quirk and more like a fact of life. The message is blunt and funny: once the World Cup starts, normal priorities are officially under review. Watch below:
“The World Cup isn’t a passive experience for the fans, and so we set out to market the dynamic, real-time viewing experience that only FOX One can deliver,” said Brian Borkowski, CMO, FOX Direct to Consumer. “This campaign reflects the intensity, obsession, and community that define modern soccer fandom, while showing how the platform was built to elevate every moment of the tournament experience.”
The campaign also signals FOX One’s broader ambition in an increasingly crowded streaming market. Rather than simply touting content access, the work positions the service as a platform built around live cultural moments, especially the kind that generate real-time fandom, debate and urgency.
“I mean if we’re being honest, the way we feel about sports, and especially the World Cup is truly insane. Obsession. Fanaticism. Bordering on addiction… it’s the best!” said Josh Fell, partner and CCO at Anomaly LA. “And every four years, we have to pretend that we don’t feel this way and go about doing the rest of life. But deep down inside we all do.”
He added, “So we thought, why not just own that? In a category full of platforms talking about access and content libraries, why not reflect who FOX One truly is — the one service that actually understands soccer fans. We’re all deeply broken. Let’s celebrate!”
In addition to the four hero films, the campaign includes a 360-degree rollout across CTV, online video, paid social, and out-of-home placements in New York and Los Angeles. Creator extensions will also show how fans prioritize the tournament when World Cup fever takes over.
The campaign will evolve throughout the tournament’s 39-day run, following a record 104-match schedule across three countries.
For FOX, the campaign is about more than promoting tournament coverage. It is an effort to turn the World Cup into an always-on subscription experience and to position FOX One as a streaming service that understands live sports not as content, but as an obsession.
Because for soccer fans, once the whistle blows, everything else can wait.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Fox One
AGENCY: Anomaly
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360 News. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on LinkedIn.
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