Creator Economy The Creators Who Are Quietly Running The 2026 World Cup By Ian Shepherd ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Ian Shepherd is an investor and host of the Business of Creators Follow Author Jul 16, 2026, 02:54am EDT --:-- / --:-- This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . Summary The World Cup experience is undergoing a significant transformation, with creators now central to its infrastructure. FIFA's partnership with TikTok granted creators unprecedented behind-the-scenes access, integrating them directly into the event. Twitch has emerged as a "digital stadium," where streamers like IShowSpeed provide real-time, authentic commentary and fan reactions, reshaping how younger generations consume sports. Brands are shifting strategies, prioritizing durable relationships and owned communities over fleeting virality, exemplified by campaigns from Adidas and Nike. Creator content is also expanding into physical activations and virtual platforms like Roblox, where Gen Z fans express their fandom through avatars. This marks a fundamental shift from creators merely amplifying content to being foundational to the entire sports media landscape.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JULY 5: IShowSpeed aka Darren Jason Watkins Jr. comments the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16 football match between Brazil and Norway at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 5, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images) Getty Images FIFA and TikTok gave 30 creators behind-the-scenes access to this World Cup, from bus arrivals to training sessions to press conferences. It's the first time FIFA has named a Preferred Platform partner and creators are now part of that deal instead of commenting on it from outside.
It’s a fascinating development which explains a lot about how fans have been consuming this years World Cup.
Twitch executives, brand strategists and a fresh Gen Z survey are telling the same story from different angles. Creators are the infrastructure this tournament runs on: the livestreams, the brand campaigns, the pop-ups, even the avatars fans wear while they watch.
Twitch is one of the clearest examples. IShowSpeed , Jasontheween and Marlon turned IRL livestreams into one of the tournament's most engaging formats, says Pontus Eskilsson, Twitch's VP of Global Partnerships.
"By attending matches and streaming their live reactions, they're giving audiences a front-row seat to the World Cup experience, blending behind-the-scenes access with authentic commentary and real-time fan emotion," Eskilsson told me.
IShowSpeed took that further. "IShowSpeed launched a large-scale, multi-country tour tied to the World Cup spanning the Caribbean and a broader U.S. tour across 16 host cities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, featuring 104 matches and surprise appearances from professional football players," Eskilsson said. Other streamers, like sakurashymko and Jynxzi, broadcast the in-between moments: packing, traveling, watch parties.
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DoorDash sponsored Men in Blazers' Twitch coverage of matches in Latin America. Each week, chat voted on which cuisine the hosts would eat during their "Match Predictions" segment, based on who they thought would win. A broadcast turned into a running game.
That same appetite for real-time prediction is fueling a rise in p...