BRAND CAMPAIGNS

Lay’s World Cup marketing strategy focuses on fan fun and togetherness

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2026

Epic watch party-themed campaign for the upcoming FIFA World Cup features major international soccer stars and a touch of Hollywood.

Potato chip brand Lay’s is activating two major marketing campaigns ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place in North America from June.

Photo: Lay’s

The campaigns include the return of Lay’s long-running global platform called ‘No Lay’s, No Game’, which runs across 90 markets, as well the launch of a new US-specific campaign called ‘Bandwagon’.

“Together, the efforts reflect how the brand is inviting passionate supporters, as well as casual sports and entertainment fans, to join the moment – with Lay’s in hand,” the brand says in a press release.

New global campaign goes live

‘No Lay’s, No Game’, now in its fourth year, is headlined by an epic watch party featuring female Spanish professional footballer Alexia Putellas, and male soccer stars Lionel Messi (Argentina), David Beckham (England) and Thierry Henry (France). Also starring in the commercial is US actor and comedian Steve Carell.

The group surprises shoppers in a supermarket and invites them to watch football together. Extending beyond the ad, Lay’s has launched an Epic Watch Party Channel on WhatsApp featuring live reactions, voice notes and behind-the-scenes moments from the five stars throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026. This makes it one of the brand’s largest social activations to date.

The US campaign launches soon

In the coming weeks, Lay’s will introduce its new ‘Bandwagon’ campaign. Running in the US, it seeks to flip the idea of the ‘bandwagon fan’ from something negative into something fun and welcoming.

The campaign is designed for those American consumers who may be new to soccer. The idea is that, with Lay’s, fandom doesn’t have to be earned and there is no judgement – it can be shared. 

Lay’s is an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026, as the tournament returns to North America for the first time since 1994.

You can watch the new ‘No Lay’s, No Game’ ad on YouTube here.

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