Welcome to the nostalgia World Cup
The fan and marketing culture of 2026 is dominated by the 90’s – that’s a good thing for the beautiful game, writes sports marketing analyst Robert Zitzmann
We can see it everywhere, on the streets and in our feeds: Retro jerseys, 90s advertising campaign revivals and old football legends returning as ambassadors for media and sponsors alike.
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Adidas leaned heavily on nostalgia for its star-studded Backyard Legends campaign, also launching a jersey collection inspired by retro kits, while Budweiser marked its 40th anniversary as the official beer sponsor of the FIFA World Cup with ‘Budstalgia,' featuring 11 unique designs that pay tribute to every tournament from 1986 to 2026.
But while nostalgia seems especially prevalent in the current World Cup and there’s a plethora of nostalgia-inspired creative commercials, kits, boots, and off-pitch apparel, a longing for better, simpler times is a very human trait, one that always comes to the fore at times of social rupture.
That said, these World Cup 2026 vibes hit differently and tell a bigger story than a mere fashion trend taking over the stands and pubs this summer. For one, the nostalgia takeover in fan and marketing culture is a testament to the historic richness and cultural crossover of football and to its status as a pinnacle event in the Americas. No other sport, no other entertainment platform has that.
Because football is so big, everyone wants to be a part of it and contribute to it. The world’s biggest celebrities from music and film, superstars from other sports, and even politicians. I’d argue that that’s a good thing, making the entire experience even more fun, more colourful, more diverse and ultimately even greater.
The spirits of football fandom and lifestyle aren’t, and will never be, ownable by a single one of its communities. Unlike its governance, football's culture is somewhat democratic, whether we like it or not. And no one can claim or dictate its creative direction.
Not the traditional supporters who take responsibility for the atmosphere that makes the game so beautiful, nor the rising creator community that brings the game to new and younger generations, nor the commercial team of sponsors, media, federations, and athletes who want to leverage global interest in the World Cup. Maybe that’s a good thing, too.
Lastly, we need to take a closer look at what nostalgia actually means in the context of football culture - and what it actually delivers. It’s much more than a bunch of forgotten t-shirts and historic documentaries from previous World Cups. The revival of the 90s and early 2000s is a celebration of societal and personal freedom, lightheartedness, and many positive, highly personal memories. It’s belonging and being together, with a social purpose.
For the World Cup in 2026, this will not just make watch parties of all sizes even more relevant, it will also change the way we judge and celebrate the hero stories on and off the pitch - because our value compass has become more mindful of the true originals and what’s come before.
Nostalgia has always been part of how we relate to sport because sport can transport fans to specific times in their youth. As such, nostalgia is such a potent sales tool for sports brands and organisations. And, while comparing today's tournaments to idealised pasts may risk a rose-tinted view of a former reality, there’s no harm in trying to capture the magic fans felt as children or teenagers.
One could argue that living in the past won’t make the future of football, as a fandom and a business, more innovative or support its longevity. But in the spotlight of technological disruption, geopolitical uncertainty and global economic crisis, a more human and real-life centric ethos inspired by a pre-social media and sports event culture, this nostalgia World Cup, with generations coming together to celebrate icons of past and present, is a good thing.
Regardless of what the colours and trends in 2026 are, football, as a social, cultural and sporting good, faces an eternal rivalry between tradition and innovation. And central within this powerful interplay, the fan and marketing communities are very much intertwined and as one.
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Robert Zitzmann is a brand and sports strategist and Managing Partner at Jung von Matt SPORTS.
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