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FIFA has announced a landmark partnership with TikTok that will see the social media giant become the governing body’s first-ever Preferred Platform for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, a move aimed at bringing fans closer than ever to the tournament.
The agreement, which runs until the end of 2026, builds on the success of the collaboration between FIFA and TikTok during the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, which generated tens of billions of views across the platform. Under the new deal, TikTok will play a central role in the promotion and distribution of original FIFA World Cup 2026 content, positioning itself as a primary digital destination for fans and creators throughout the competition.
At the heart of the partnership will be TikTok’s dedicated FIFA World Cup 2026 hub, powered by TikTok GamePlan. The hub will offer fans a single space to discover tournament-related content, alongside match ticket information, viewing details and interactive features such as custom stickers, filters and gamification tools designed to boost engagement.
The agreement also opens up new opportunities for FIFA’s official Media Partners. Broadcasters will be able to live-stream selected parts of matches on TikTok, publish a wider range of curated clips and access exclusive content produced specifically by FIFA for the platform. In addition, media partners will have the ability to monetise their World Cup coverage using TikTok’s premium advertising solutions, while enhanced anti-piracy measures will be put in place to protect FIFA’s intellectual property.
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström said the partnership aligns with the organisation’s ambition to maximise the reach of the tournament.
“FIFA’s goal is to share the exhilaration of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with as many fans as possible, and we can’t think of a better way to further that mission during the biggest event in sports history than to have TikTok as the tournament’s first Preferred Platform,” Grafström said.
“This is an innovative and creative collaboration that will connect more fans across the globe to the FIFA World Cup in unprecedented ways, bringing them behind the curtain and closer to the action than ever before. As football grows and evolves – uniting an increasing number of people – so should the way it is shared and promoted.”
A key feature of the partnership will be the launch of a global creator programme. For the first time, a select group of TikTok creators will be granted behind-the-scenes access to the World Cup, including press conferences and training sessions, offering fans a more personal and relatable view of the tournament. A broader pool of creators will also be able to co-create content using FIFA’s archival footage.
TikTok says the collaboration reflects the platform’s growing influence in global sport, particularly among younger and more diverse audiences.
"Football has experienced explosive global growth on TikTok over the past few years, and as FIFA's first-ever Preferred Platform we're excited for fans to experience the FIFA World Cup 2026 beyond the 90 minutes, with exclusive content and unprecedented creator access," said James Stafford, Global Head of Content, TikTok.
"TikTok GamePlan turns fandom into measurable business results for our sports partners, with fans being 42% more likely to tune in to live matches after watching sports content on TikTok. We're reaching the next generation of football fans - particularly younger and female audiences - and converting that passion into real tune-in and engagement at unprecedented scale."
The FIFA World Cup 2026™, set to be the largest in the tournament’s history with 48 teams, will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. FIFA believes the expanded digital partnership with TikTok will play a key role in ensuring the event reaches its widest possible global audience.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels / Abel Alemseged, FIFA.com
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