Phone deal for visiting fans at 2026 World Cup part of Verizon sponsor pact with FIFA
Soccer fans arriving in North America for the 2026 World Cup have been promised help with their cell phone coverage
GENEVA — Soccer fans arriving in North America for the 2026 World Cup have been promised help with their cell phone coverage from Verizon as part of a sponsor deal with FIFA announced on Tuesday.
The New York-based technology provider said FIFA expected three million international visitors to the United States, Canada and Mexico for the 48-team tournament from June 11-July 19, 2026.
“We will have a seamless handover to the phones coming in with what we call a ‘soft SIM,’” Verizon chief executive Hans Vestberg said in an online interview. “You don’t need a hard SIM card.”
Fans also should expect fast data service in World Cup stadiums, tailgate areas and fan zones, Vestberg said. The 104 games will be played in 16 cities, including 11 stadiums in the U.S. where Verizon operates with NFL franchises.
“We are basically embedded in all the stadiums already,” he said. “We are going to see that all the fans have the best experiences in the stadiums.”
FIFA described Verizon in a statement as “the go-to communications network partner of choice for sports and entertainment powerhouses.”
The value of the deal covering the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil was not disclosed. Sponsorships with FIFA for a four-year World Cup cycle typically run to nine figures.
FIFA conservatively budgeted to earn $2.7 billion in marketing deals in total revenue of more than $11 billion for all of its tournaments from 2023-26, and Verizon is the seventh sponsor in the second-tier category for the next men’s World Cup. FIFA has six top-tier commercial partners so far for the 2026 edition, including Saudi Arabian state
Read more on abcnews.go.com
