The McDonald’s team had a different idea for its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign, but it ended up on the cutting room floor.
The original concept centered around the “field of play,” according to global chief marketing officer Morgan Flatley.
“We got pretty far with it, and then we finally killed it,” Flatley told ADWEEK. “It just kept sticking with me that it felt like any brand could do that, and we should be doing something that’s uniquely McDonald’s.”
Instead, the fast-food chain landed on a more distinct idea: while numerous brands go to the World Cup, why not bring the tournament to McDonald’s?
That’s the premise behind McDonald’s biggest-ever World Cup campaign and largest marketing effort of the year, spanning more than 110 countries.
