Rich Hewes

If you care about how brands show up around big cultural moments, this summer’s World Cup is going to be a stress test. Not just for creative work, but for how well we understand what football actually provides people with in 2026.

From Chelsea’s “Return of the Rebel” and TAG Heuer’s revived Formula 1 watches to fans co‑creating future kits with AI, clubs and brands are using nostalgia to draw in fans, blending archive with the present day to offer continuity in a culture where the past is as valuable as the future.

A wave of January announcements hints at the next phase of sponsorship: sport as a space for relevance, identity, and cultural weight rather than just audience size.

A new partnership between Liverpool and Tommy Hilfiger highlights the growing overlap between football, fashion, and cultural positioning – and what clubs want to represent beyond the game.