Photo Credit: Lionel Messi (Major League Soccer)

Major League Soccer capitalizes on FIFA World Cup excitement to launch a post-Cup ad campaign, the largest of its kind in MLS’ 33-year history.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to a close, and Major League Soccer (MLS) wants to capitalize on the global hype surrounding the event with the launch of a massive ad campaign. Featuring the tagline “Thanks World, We’ll Take It From Here,” it’s the largest coordinated marketing campaign in 33 years of Major League Soccer.

With top athletes and owners like Lionel Messi, David Beckham, LAFC star Son Heung-min, LAFC owner Magic Johnson, Austin FC owner Matthew McConaughey, and Philadelphia Union owner Kevin Durant, the campaign kicks off on Fox during coverage of the World Cup semifinals and final this week. It will continue via Amazon, Apple TV, Tubi, and other streamers, broadcasters, and social platforms.

“The FIFA World Cup is going to bring millions of new fans into the game, and our job is to make sure their soccer journey doesn’t end when the tournament does,” said Radhika Duggal, CMO of MLS. “This campaign is about showing people that there’s a club, a community, and a story waiting for them every week in MLS. We’re meeting fans through culture, music, and entertainment, making it easy to discover the league, whether that’s on Apple TV or their local stadium. MLS has never been more ambitious or more connected to the moments shaping culture, and we’re excited to welcome a whole new generation of fans.”

The campaign will include elements of all 30 MLS clubs, with 22 of them offering “first match on us” promotions that include free tickets. It will also feature an Amazon Music Original cover of the Tribe Called Quest song “Can I Kick It?” created exclusively for MLS. Produced by DJ Premier, the track features new vocals and lyrics from breakout artist Samara Cyn.

“At a defining moment for soccer in North America, MLS is turning global excitement into lasting engagement and connection,” said Camilo Durana, executive vice president and chief business officer of MLS. “As the World Cup inspires new fans, our clubs and communities are ready to welcome them as the season resumes and the next chapter of their soccer journey begins with MLS.”

Back in May, MLS announced four original content series timed to generate hype for the World Cup, with Cup Dreams premiering exclusively on Amazon Video. The series spans 40 stories and generated over 400 pieces of content distributed across Amazon, Apple TV, and other partners.

Betting big on reinvigorated interest in stateside soccer makes sense for MLS, which used the 1994 World Cup—the last one to be played in the U.S.—as a launchpad. The 2026 World Cup has been a feast of ratings for the networks airing it, garnering NFL-like numbers for certain games (particularly those featuring the U.S. team), with a final game halftime show set to be comparable to the Super Bowl.