Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast artwork

Soccer’s Advertising Opportunity: Reaching the World’s Biggest Audience | In the Game

Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast · with Bill Fisher · August 20, 2026 · 32 min

Summary

Ecommerce brands can unlock massive global reach by strategically engaging with soccer audiences. This episode explores transitioning from event-based advertising to sustained domestic league campaigns, leveraging unique fan loyalty, and capitalizing on the immense commercial value of leagues like the English Premier League and the growing Major League Soccer. Discover how to utilize data and digital platforms to effectively reach and convert soccer fans into customers.

Key takeaways

Themes

paid acquisitionbrand & contentanalytics & attribution

Topics covered

sports advertisingglobal audience targetingdigital ad campaignsfan engagement strategiespremier league advertisingmls advertising opportunitiesaudience segmentationperformance marketing

Episode description

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss how advertisers can transition from World Cup storytelling into domestic league campaigns, what makes football audiences unique from an advertising perspective, the number that best encapsulates the advertising opportunity within the English Premier League, what makes America's Major League Soccer attractive compared with established European leagues, and more. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host Marcus Johnson, Principal Analyst Bill Fisher, and Senior Forecasting Analyst Oscar Orozco. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube or Spotify. Get more insights like these with our free, industry-leading newsletters covering advertising, marketing, and commerce. Sign up at emarketer.com/newsletters Purchase tickets and register for EMARKETER's The Future of Digital 2026 Summit here: https://www.emarketer.com/events/summit/2026-future-of-digital/?utm_source=events_page Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/emarketer/For sponsorship opportunities contact us: advertising@emarketer.comFor more information visit: https://www.emarketer.com/advertise/Have questions or just want to say hi? Drop us a line at podcast@emarketer.com For a transcript of this episode click here: https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcast-soccer-advertising-opportunity-reaching-world-biggest-audience © 2026 EMARKETER Awin is the all-in-one platform for smarter partner marketing. With award-winning technology, expert support and a global network of 1 million partners, Awin helps brands discover, manage and scale high-performing partnerships that drive measurable growth. Learn more.

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Frequently asked about this episode

What does this episode say about paid acquisition?
Transition from peak event advertising (like the World Cup) to sustained domestic league campaigns to maintain year-round brand visibility and fan connection.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Leverage the unique characteristics of soccer audiences, such as high engagement and loyalty, to develop highly targeted and effective advertising strategies for ecommerce products.
What does this episode say about analytics & attribution?
Quantify the advertising opportunity in major leagues like the English Premier League to understand potential ROI and allocate marketing spend effectively.
What does this episode say about paid acquisition?
Explore the growing attractiveness of Major League Soccer (MLS) for US-focused advertising, comparing its opportunities against established European markets.
What does this episode say about paid acquisition?
Utilize data and analytics to understand soccer fan behavior more granularly, optimizing digital ad campaigns across streaming and social media platforms for better conversion.

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