FIFA 2026 World Cup Sponsorships can be executed in a myriad of ways, depending on the market in which they are activated. Portada Los Angeles attendees last Thursday got a first look at Diageo’s Don Julio strategy, following the spirits giant’s announcement of its first FIFA World Cup sponsorship. in North, Central and South America. During the session, HEADLINE INTERVIEW: First-Rate Cultural Marketing in an Always-On World Pat Aviles, VP Brand Engagement & Merchandise, LAFC interviewed Salvador Padron, Global VP Marketing, at Don Julio.
Padrón explained that 90% of Don Julio’s sales are in North America (Mexico, the United States, and Canada), with the U.S. being the tequila’s primary growth market. One of the advantages of a global platform like FIFA is that, according to Padron, “it provides the opportunity to activate in several markets with the same platform.”
FIFA 2026 World Cup Sponsorship: United States
“The Fifa World Cup provides the opportunity to activate in several markets with the same platform.”
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Mexico: Mass Market Approach
In Mexico, where Tequila Don Julio is a leader among top tequila brands, Don Julio’s FIFA 2026 World Cup Sponsorship will take a more mass market approach. According to Padron, in Mexico, mass media will be involved, positioning Don Julio as the alcoholic brand for overall sports, “potentially even competing with the beer category.” Don Julio will also celebrate the ‘good host’ attribute that Mexico is known for by showcasing its hospitality as a World Cup host country.
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FIFA 2026 World Cup Sponsorship: A Cultural Lens
Padron explained that a platform like FIFA is, first and foremost, approached from a cultural lens. Applying a cultural lens to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Sponsorship also means learning through trial and error. “With culture, you go back and forth a lot,” Padron explained. Don Julio is a brand that is present at celebrations and celebrates soccer/sports fandom; this is another brand attribute that aligns with the FIFA 2026 Soccer World Cup Sponsorship by Diageo/Don Julio.
“A platform like FIFA is, first and foremost, approached from a cultural lens.”
There are additional factors that directly impact sales in a major sponsorship, like the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These factors include boosting the distribution of Don Julio tequila in establishments across each of the 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. As an example, Padron cited a recent activation with South Korean singer and songwriter Peggy Gou in Milan, which prompted the city’s tequila distributors to request a substantial increase in distribution to retailers, restaurants, and bars.
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