Guinness revives ‘The world’s cup’ amid global football fever

Guinness is tapping into football fandom this summer with a new campaign titled “The world’s cup”, celebrating the rituals, pubs and people that turn match days into communal experiences.

Timed to coincide with a summer packed with football action in the US, the campaign pays homage to Guinness’ 1990 ad “The world’s cup… well in hand”, which debuted during Ireland’s first appearance on the world football stage.

The campaign tagline has also been paired with a new film remixing another iconic Guinness creative moment, “Guinness singing pints”. The original 2023 campaign promoted Guinness 0.0 for St Patrick’s Day and featured pints singing along to Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out for a Hero. In the latest iteration, the creamy pint heads swap singing for football fever, shouting “goooooal” instead.

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The brand said the campaign aims to spotlight how football brings people together, from local pubs and living rooms to packed bars filled with strangers turned teammates by the final whistle.

As the official beer partner of the Premier League, Guinness is rolling out a series of activations across the US as part of the campaign.

Among them is a collaboration with Art of Football, which will see the launch of a limited-edition football jersey available exclusively in North America from 8 June. The jersey is priced at US$81 and will be sold through Art of Football.

The campaign will also include out-of-home and social content highlighting bartenders and pub staff across cities including Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The individuals featured will appear wearing the limited-edition jerseys while sharing their personal game-day rituals.

In tandem, Guinness has unveiled limited-edition football-themed packaging for its Guinness Draught Stout. The packaging was designed by graphic designer Sophia Yeshi and features the brand’s signature black-and-cream colour palette accented with green and blue touches. The packs are now available nationwide in four-pack and eight-pack formats for a limited time.

Guinness added that more football-related activations and limited-edition innovations tied to the campaign will be unveiled in the coming weeks through its social channels.

"Soccer is at its best when everyone feels part of it, and Guinness has always stood for that same spirit of togetherness. Whether you're an avid supporter or simply here for a good time, Guinness makes game day feel more welcoming, more connected and more memorable" said Karissa Downer, director of Guinness.

She added, "With 'The world's cup,' we are celebrating the pubs, pints and bartenders who turn every match into a moment worth sharing. The beautiful game deserves a beautiful pint and a room full of fans to enjoy it with."

The latest push also builds on Guinness’ wider football marketing efforts locally. Last year, Guinness Malaysia launched Guinness Clubhouse in Kuala Lumpur, a football-themed stay experience designed around Premier League match nights. Spanning three storeys, the activation featured live match screenings on a giant projector with surround sound alongside branded fan experiences aimed at turning football viewing into a more immersive community event.

Prior to that, Guinness kicked off the 2025/26 Premier League season in Singapore through a local-first collaboration with Singaporean illustrator Tobyato.

The campaign saw the launch of limited-edition jerseys and merchandise distributed across coffee shops, bars, supermarkets, online platforms and delivery apps. Speaking previously to MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Gerald Yeo said the collaboration reflected Guinness’ ambition to connect more meaningfully with local football fans and the wider culture surrounding the sport.

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