![\"Rivals](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784152811_303_0x0.jpg\")
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 13: (L-R) Keegan-Michael Key and Gabrielle Union attend Rivals at the Game, Casamigos at the Bar – FIFA World Cup\u2122 2026 Suite at MetLife Stadium on June 13, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Cindy Ord\/Getty Images for Casamigos)<\/p>\n
Getty Images for Casamigos<\/p>\n
England\u2019s World Cup dreams were crushed by defending champions Argentina in a semi-final nail bitter. And yet another British squad is still at play for the tournament: Diageo, the first-ever spirits company to ink a massive partnership with FIFA.<\/p>\n
Diageo\u2019s big bet on the FIFA World Cup 2026 is looking prescient, aided by a strong showing from the three host nations, which all reached the Round of 16. <\/p>\n
While Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. were all knocked out at that stage, viewership and traffic at bars, restaurants and watch parties have been strong. An estimated 42 million<\/a> watched the American squad lose to Belgium, setting a record U.S. viewership for the tournament. All four quarterfinals exceeded prior highs<\/a> in the U.S., even without the American squad on the field.<\/p>\n The Liquor Industry\u2019s Big Global Bets On Sports<\/p>\n For more than a decade, spirits manufacturers have made inroads into sports arenas, a drinking occasion long dominated by brewers like Anheuser-Busch InBev, Molson Coors and Heineken. They\u2019ve opened up dedicated liquor-focused sports bars and developed hit specialty drinks<\/a> ranging from Woodford Reserve\u2019s bourbon Mint Julep at the Kentucky Derby to Grey Goose vodka\u2019s cocktail the Honey Deuce at the U.S. Open.<\/p>\n The industry\u2019s titans have also inked partnerships with leagues, an area where Diageo has extensive expertise through former partnerships including Johnnie Walker\u2019s relationship with the motorsport league Formula One and a five-year spirits sponsorship with the National Football League.<\/p>\n Buchanan\u2019s created four limited-edition collectible bottles for the FIFA World Cup 2026.<\/p>\n Courtesy of Buchanan\u2019s<\/p>\n But as with F1 and the NFL, much of the marketing magic comes from promoting cocktails and brand consideration outside of the stadiums where FIFA\u2019s games are held. While FIFA estimates that 6.25 million fans attended games in the stadiums through July 8, there have been 20 billion video views across FIFA\u2019s platforms and millions more watching on television.<\/p>\n \u201cThe scale of the World Cup is really what excites us at Diageo,\u201d Rick Pineda, vice president of global sports at Diageo, tells me during an in-person interview. \u201cIt\u2019s really at the watch festivals, watch parties at home, and in bars and restaurants where the volume and the opportunity lies.\u201d<\/p>\n Diageo owns more than 200 brands, but when the liquor giant announced its FIFA partnership in May 2025, it signaled that the company\u2019s World Cup activities would focus on just a few drinks: Don Julio and Casamigos tequila, Buchanan\u2019s and Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky, and Smirnoff vodka. There are also some regional considerations at play. In Canada, the focus is on Casamigos, Smirnoff and Don Julio\u2019; while Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker are promoted in Brazil, and in Colombia, the emphasis is on Buchanan\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cWe crafted a deal that allowed us the flexibility to be able to lean into our strengths in each of these markets,\u201d says Pineda.<\/p>\n BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 11: Casamigos and Gabrielle Union host an exclusive FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 watch party on June 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone\/Getty Images for Casamigos)<\/p>\n Getty Images for Casamigos<\/p>\n In the stadiums, Diageo has created a few select cocktails to promote, including the Casamigos Margarita, the Smirnoff Lemon Soda and the Buchanita, the latter made with Buchanan\u2019s 12-Year-Old Scotch and pineapple juice. The drinks were designed to be widely accessible to fans and easy to mix so that stadium staff can make the cocktails at a rapid pace.<\/p>\n \u201cCasamigos definitely is focused on the margarita,\u201d says Roderick Blaylock, vice president of Casamigos U.S. \u201cAnd we\u2019ve expanded out in different formats of margaritas,\u201d he says. Casamigos has recently launched ready-to-drink canned cocktails and larger, premixed margaritas in classic lime and spicy varieties. \u201cConsumers are choosing convenience,\u201d says Blaylock.<\/p>\n Winning Beyond The Stadium<\/p>\n With far more of the consumer engagement occurring outside of the live events, other touch points beyond these expanded Casamigos formats include limited-edition World Cup-branded bottles for Don Julio, Buchanan\u2019s and Smirnoff, as well as television ad spots that feature talent including Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro and former football stars Thierry Henry and Roberto Carlos.<\/p>\n The World Cup will prove to be a big test for CEO Dave Lewis, a former executive at U.K. supermarket chain Tesco and consumer-products giant Unilever, who ascended to the role<\/a> on January 1 after Diageo\u2019s former CEO, Debra Crew, departed after two years in the role amid sales pressures in the U.S. and China.<\/p>\n The Tequila Don Julio 1942 FIFA World Cup 2026 Edition bottle features a gold design that’s inspired by the event’s trophy.<\/p>\n Courtesy of Don Julio<\/p>\n