As World Cup viewers tally points, await the knockout stage, and—if major marketers have any say—engage with ad campaigns, Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) are preparing to extend this summer of soccer after the tournament concludes.

The two top-tier U.S. soccer leagues, currently paused during the World Cup, are leveraging their marketing channels to capture attention at the peak of tournament fervor, encouraging new and existing fans to stay engaged through July and beyond. According to a Nielsen report reviewed by Marketing Dive, while only 27% of U.S. consumers consider themselves soccer fans, 37% of the general population expects their interest in soccer to increase.

"This is clearly a major cultural moment, but it's also a massive customer acquisition moment," said Radhika Duggal, MLS chief marketing officer. "If you're falling in love with the energy and passion of the World Cup, and the sport being played on the pitch, that's our players, our venues. This is Major League Soccer's homegrown event, and when the World Cup ends, we're still here."

To connect the World Cup to MLS, the league is developing a full-funnel marketing campaign spanning traditional advertising, creator amplification, experiential channels, and more. This effort represents its first league-wide campaign, with the league and clubs going to market together.

"This is the most crowded market for consumer eyeballs and attention (around soccer) ever, and if we're not united, we won't break through," Duggal said. The campaign will also integrate with local market affiliates of Fox, which is broadcasting the World Cup.

The campaign will debut late in the tournament, as MLS returns from its summer pause just days before the World Cup final. After that, the league will host All-Star Week, the Leagues Cup against Mexico's Liga MX, and a sprint toward early 2027 as it prepares to align its calendar with European soccer.

"Once we restart the season, the next two years are nonstop, and we're incredibly excited about the momentum this moment can inject into us," Duggal said. "(The campaign) is a bridge to the next phase—it's not an endpoint."

Traveling with creators

For its part, the NWSL hopes to ride the World Cup wave to build anticipation for the U.S. women's team's return mid-tournament. The league launched its "Summer of Soccer" campaign in May, encompassing fan engagement, creator integrations, community programs, and more. Positioned at the intersection of women's soccer and soccer storytelling, the league aims to benefit from the tournament's surge.

"We've built a platform that allows us to embed the NWSL into the broader soccer conversation during this moment for the country and the world," said Rachel Epstein, chief marketing officer who joined the NWSL in April. "We want to participate in the conversation in a very organic way, so that when the men's World Cup ends, they'll see our league as the next natural destination for their soccer passion."

At the heart of the campaign is the "Summer of Soccer Road Trip," a branded bus hitting the road in June and July to engage fans in NWSL markets and key soccer destinations. Overall, the initiative marks the beginning of a five-year opportunity culminating in the 2031 Women's World Cup, which will be partially hosted in the U.S.

"It might not always be a bus, but with the 2027 Women's World Cup, we have a unique position as the destination for new and returning fans coming out of these global events and moments," Epstein said.

The road trip and overall campaign give the NWSL access to the growing creator content space, which the IAB now describes as a "core media channel," with spending projected to reach $44 billion next year.

"The way we use creators isn't about who has the biggest reach, but who can show up very organically in that space. There will be many voices, brands, and personalities, and we have a very authentic, unique position," Epstein said.

The NWSL has two goals with creators: increasing the frequency of content delivered to core fans, and bringing new fans into the marketing funnel by creating content that appeals to its target audience—young women "vibe shifters." For MLS, its league and club social channels now reach nearly 113 million followers globally, and it uses creators acknowledging that most people don't enter the league's audience by opening Apple TV, navigating to a match, watching 90 minutes, and then becoming a fan.

"Increasingly, you're scrolling on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram and you stumble upon MLS because someone is talking about us," Duggal said. "We think sports fans increasingly start with players and creators. People discover us through stories posted by creators and more upper-funnel personalities."

Brand and platform partners

As part of its social and creator marketing, MLS has established partnerships with platforms like TikTok, which gives the league access to new ad products and features. Additionally, the league launched a custom creator network last year as part of a partnership with Walmart.

"Is there a better partner than Walmart? It has a relationship with 80% to 95% of households in America, and what an incredible way to amplify the MLS message by being part of their stories and marketing," Duggal said of the partnership.

MLS also has partnerships with major marketers including Adidas, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Kellanova, Chevrolet, and Allstate, and is working to attract sponsors that bring value beyond scale. In February, the league named Chime its official retail bank, credit card, and debit card partner.

"(Chime) tries to be part of culture in ways most financial services companies won't or can't, and we love being associated with that because it means they want to do what we want to do," Duggal said of the partnership. Before joining MLS in 2024, the executive held marketing roles at Chase and fintech company Super.com.

This culture-driven approach to partnerships has been key to the NWSL's growth and visibility since the league launched in 2012. Tylenol and Yeti will sponsor the "Summer of Soccer" tour, while Ally sponsors "Rivalry Week" and E.l.f. sponsors the Challenge Cup. Additionally, Tylenol recently signed on to sponsor a collaboration around Pride Month.

"What matters is the opportunity to create—not just slapping a logo—but creating very organic ways for partners to help achieve their business goals," Epstein said. "They're vital and a big part of the amplification during this window."