Why Copa América may be 2024’s biggest cultural moment in sports in the U.S.

In the three decades since the U.S. first hosted the FIFA World Cup, soccer has finally hit the big time stateside, capturing the growing enthusiasm of a passionate fanbase across the U.S., particularly Gen Z. This year, the momentum will be celebrated on a massive stage with Copa América being played across the U.S., starting June 20th. For soccer fans, Copa América is the annual tournament to determine the champion of CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation. It has long been a high-profile sporting event for soccer fans, featuring global soccer powerhouses like Brazil and reigning World Cup champions Argentina. Now that soccer fever has spread north of the equator, and with the U.S. hosting the event in 2024, Copa América is anticipated to be a defining soccer tournament for the Western Hemisphere—and the brands that participate. “This is the most exciting time for soccer in the CONCACAF region, which is a direct testament to the increase in popularity of the sport driven by Latino fans in the U.S.,” said Heidi Pellerano, chief commercial officer of CONCACAF. “Over the next two years we will get to enjoy the best soccer, played by the best players in the world, starting with Copa América this summer, followed by CONCACAF’s CNL Finals and Gold Cup in 2025, all leading to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.” A growth market International soccer tournaments such as Copa América have grown in popularity with the U.S. audience in the past couple of decades, as have pro leagues, such as the English Premier League, and Liga MX—the two most-watched soccer leagues in America. With networks like Univision and TUDN maintaining their ongoing commitment to soccer with thousands of live matches each and every year, soccer is an ongoing priority for TelevisaUnivision audiences. When coupled with the popularity of soccer-centric TV shows such as “Ted Lasso” and “Welcome to Wrexham” (which documents celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s purchase of a Welsh professional association football franchise) and superstar Lionel Messi’s recent move to MLS’ Inter Miami CF, there is no question that professional soccer has arrived at center stage in U.S. sports and culture. Copa América’s appeal to the fandoms of some of the top-ranked teams and players in the world will further cement soccer’s draw as a premium marketing opportunity. A recent Ad Age-Harris Poll revealed that Copa América ranks No. 3 for brand equity growth among all of Gen Zers, above brands including Coca-Cola and Toyota. It’s no surprise, then, that this summer, hundreds of thousands of spectators will fill stadiums across the U.S. (with millions more watching at home) as Messi and his FIFA No. 1-ranked Argentina, Vinicius Jr. and Brazil, Santiago Gimenez and Mexico, Christian Pulisic (aka “Captain America”) and the USA, and a galaxy of stars and world soccer powers all compete for the top prize. A unique and hyper-engaged audience The unique circumstance of having both Copa América and the World Cup in the U.S. within two years has created a hyper-engaged audience and bespoke opportunities for brand marketers. Brand sponsorships have significantly evolved since the last Copa América held in the U.S. in 2016, not to mention since the World Cup was last held here in 1994, and there are several new opportunities for brands to invest in the sport’s growing popularity. Among the higher-profile partnerships: CONMEBOL’s December 2023 announcement that Puma would be the official match ball of Copa América made a splash in the sports marketing world. Soon after, Michelob Ultra was named as the official global beer of the tournament—with Messi as brand ambassador. TelevisaUnivision networks accounted for half of all soccer viewing in the U.S. in 2023 across all networks. Year to date, Univision has aired the top two sporting events on all Spanish-language television—Super Bowl LVIII and CONCACAF Nations League Finals. With two months until Copa América begins, this momentum and increasing viewership lends itself to growing opportunities for brands to tap into one of the biggest sporting events of the summer. “The momentum that the sport of soccer is witnessing in the U.S. is truly unprecedented,” said Jose Luis Los Arcos, senior VP of sports partnerships at TelevisaUnivision. “At TelevisaUnivision, we take pride in being the home of biggest and best soccer moments, and there is none more monumental between now and 2026 than this summer’s Copa América. We’re excited to once again be that ultimate hub for fans, and help brands meet this moment authentically and in culture as we kick off the road to World Cup.” About TelevisaUnivison TelevisaUnivision (TU) is the world’s leading Spanish-language media company. TU is the top producer of original content in Spanish across news, sports and entertainment verticals, powering all platforms, which include market-leading broadcast networks and a portfolio of 38 cable networks, the leading Mexican movie studio, the largest Spanish-language audio platform in the U.S., the Uforia digital platform and ViX, the largest Spanish-language global streaming platform.

Why Copa América may be 2024’s biggest cultural moment in sports in the U.S.

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