• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

In a rare move for a company that typically sticks with its agency of record, Kia is partnering with Footballco to deliver its 2026 World Cup campaign. 

Footballco, based in London, will lead campaign strategy, creative development, end-to-end production and the management of football legends, cultural influencers and entertainment talent.  

The scope includes the creation and delivery of a wide range of original assets and tailored adaptations, culminating in a feature-length film.

The campaign kicked off during Friday’s World Cup Draw with creative staring French soccer icon and FIFA World Cup winner Thierry Henry.

Released in parallel with the official FIFA World Cup Final Draw, the film shows Henry staging his own World Cup-style draw, but with an unexpected twist.

Taking visual cues from the official draw, the short film concludes with the final ball containing a slip of paper bearing the name “The 49th Team,” which is the official title of Kia’s World Cup campaign, symbolizing an additional team beyond the 48 official World Cup nations to celebrate the inspirational stories and abilities of the World Cup’s Official Match Ball Carriers.

The short film was followed by a secondary tease on social media, featuring Henry addressing rumors that he may be in charge of a new team at the World Cup, foreshadowing key narrative elements of the campaign still to come.

For distribution and to drive global reach, Footballco will activate its portfolio of leading soccer media brands, including GOAL and Koora, which collectively reach over 720 million fans worldwide.

Footballco’s work will extend across 10 markets globally for the automotive company, including World Cup host nations: the United States, Mexico and Canada, as well as Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The company has worked with other brands including Unilever (Rexona), Elf Cosmetics, Outkast, The Lumineers and Adidas as well as major entities like Major League Soccer and the United Soccer League.

Kia's primary agency of record in the U.S. is David & Goliath, owned by Innocean Worldwide, which provides global support and integration.