Why the World Cup’s biggest screen may no longer be the only one that matters

The World Cup has long been one of the few certainties in media planning: a rare moment when audiences gather in their millions, tune in live, and stay put. However, in Singapore, that traditional equation is starting to evolve.

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, new forecasting data from Nexxen suggests that while football fandom remains deeply entrenched, the way fans watch is becoming far more fluid. OTT and connected TV (CTV) viewership has climbed 27% since 2022, and now matches traditional TV reach at 59%, signalling a clear shift in how live sport is being consumed across screens.

Yet fragmentation does not mean dilution. TV still anchors the experience, with 80% of viewers expected to watch matches on the big screen, rising to 84% in evenings and 85% over weekends. The difference in 2026 is not where people stop watching, but where and how they enter, and re-enter, the tournament.

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That behaviour is even more pronounced during the working week. More than half of viewers (53%) say they will turn to mobile or laptop during office hours, while 70% are not expected to follow the tournament end-to-end. Instead, engagement will spike around key moments, high-stakes fixtures, and highlight-driven consumption.

Taken together, the findings point to a familiar but increasingly complex reality for marketers: reach still exists, but it is no longer linear. As audiences scatter across platforms, devices and dayparts, the World Cup is becoming less of a single viewing event and more of a distributed media moment, one that challenges how brands define attention, frequency and impact in live sports.

From scheduled screens to constant connection

For marketers, the shift is not necessarily that audiences are watching less sport. Rather, they are watching differently.

According to Jon Stona, vice president, global marketing at Airwallex, live sports is no longer a “single-screen, appointment-viewing experience”, with audiences increasingly moving fluidly between television, social platforms and mobile devices while simultaneously following highlights, reactions and commentary.

“The ‘second screen’ has effectively become the primary engagement layer for many fans, especially younger audiences,” he said.

That evolution reflects broader changes in media consumption habits, where audiences now expect content to be immediate, personalised and accessible across multiple touchpoints. While live sports still command rare real-time attention at scale, the challenge for brands lies in understanding how audiences move between platforms before, during and after key matches.

Similarly, Lee Hung Sheng, head, audience and partnerships at Mediacorp noted that audiences, particularly younger viewers, are increasingly satisfied consuming highlights and short-form moments instead of committing to full live matches.

At Mediacorp, that behaviour was already visible during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, when digital clips on streaming platform mewatch grew almost 200% after the company introduced AI-powered Stories and Moments.

“This reflects a broader shift towards more personalised, flexible and snackable forms of sports consumption, where audiences engage with content in ways that best fit their lifestyles and viewing preferences,” said Lee.

For some, the fragmentation of viewing habits is also closely tied to the cultural nature of sports fandom today. Daisy Huang, head of strategy at Omnicom Media Singapore, explained: 

Sports consumption today, especially around major moments such as the FIFA World Cup, is no longer just about watching the match itself, it is about participating in wider cultural conversations.

That participation can take many forms, from catching highlights and memes to following live commentary or simply staying informed enough to join conversations online and offline. In a highly connected market such as Singapore, Huang added that seamless access across platforms means audiences are increasingly engaging with the tournament on their own terms, shaped by work schedules, lifestyle habits and time zone differences.

Reach is no longer a single screen metric

As audiences spread themselves across platforms and viewing moments, agencies are also rethinking how campaigns are planned and measured during major sporting events.

Stona explained that media planning is becoming increasingly “audience-led rather than channel-led”, with agencies now focusing on following consumer attention across ecosystems instead of concentrating investments around a single broadcast platform.

That has pushed brands towards more interconnected campaigns spanning TV, streaming, creators, short-form content and social engagement, while placing greater emphasis on contextual relevance and real-time responsiveness. He added: 

The role of media agencies is evolving from simply buying reach to orchestrating connected audience experiences across fragmented environments.

Huang echoed that sentiment, noting that fragmented viewing behaviours require brands to think beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. 

“A live viewer wants excitement and emotional momentum sustained in real time. A social scroller wants quick, entertaining recaps of key moments. Someone checking scores on Google simply wants concise, useful information,” she said, adding that effective communications need to adapt to these differing needs and moments.

At the same time, premium live sports inventory still holds significant value. However, Mediacorp's Lee said brands are increasingly extending campaigns beyond the live broadcast itself through creator-led content, second-screen experiences, fan engagement initiatives and social activations designed to sustain engagement throughout the tournament.

Increasingly, the opportunity lies not just in capturing audiences during the match, but in remaining present across the wider fan journey, from anticipation and live viewing to post-match highlights and social conversations.

Sports as culture, not just competition

For younger audiences in particular, the World Cup is becoming as much a cultural and social experience as it is a sporting one.

According to Huang, Gen Z audiences increasingly experience sport through memes, creators, online communities and short-form content, with social platforms playing just as important a role as live broadcasts in shaping fandom.

That shift is creating opportunities for brands to move beyond passive sponsorship visibility and participate more directly in fan culture and conversations.

Similarly, Stona noted that younger audiences tend to respond more strongly to authenticity, humour and creator-led storytelling than highly polished corporate campaigns.

“Fans today don’t just watch football, they engage with the broader narratives, personalities and community around it,” he said, pointing to Airwallex’s recent Arsenal campaign featuring Spike Lee as an example of how brands are increasingly leaning into culture and entertainment rather than traditional sponsorship activations alone.

At the same time, Lee said younger audiences are gravitating towards more personalised and interactive viewing experiences, particularly through mobile-first and social-first formats.

This includes AI-curated highlights, creator-led content and searchable short-form moments designed for on-the-go consumption. At Mediacorp, for instance, World Cup highlights on mewatch will also surface as Google Web Stories to encourage easier discovery and drive audiences back into deeper content environments.

For brands, the common thread across all perspectives is increasingly clear. Winning attention during the 2026 FIFA World Cup may no longer be about dominating a single screen or securing the biggest logo placement.

Instead, industry folks say success may hinge on understanding how audiences move fluidly across platforms, moments and communities, and finding ways to become part of the wider culture surrounding the game.

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