Excitement is building amongst football fans across the globe with the FIFA World Cup kicking off on June 11th. Here in Ireland that passion remains strong despite the boys in green not making it through.
TGI data indicates that 2.1 million Irish adults are expected to follow the tournament in some form, whether via live broadcasts, digital platforms or as spectators. Among those likely to follow, 71% state that they have seen an OOH ad in the past week and 52% report engaging with a brand after seeing an OOH ad. For planners, brands and marketers, this makes World Cup fans a natural fit for OOH with highly engaged, mobile audience that are primed for timely, contextually relevant brand messages.
Source: TGI 2025. Audience base: Irish adults who say they are likely to follow the World Cup 2026 via either through the media or as a spectator.
This audience is also distinctive in its behaviours and profile. Adults who say they are very likely to watch the World Cup visit pubs, bars and clubs to watch sport; 81% more than the average Irish adult. They are also more likely to fall into the top socio‑economic group and/or to have a personal income of €100,000 or more. In other words, World Cup followers combine intense fandom with above‑average spending power – an invaluable combination for brands during the tournament period.
Source: Republic of Ireland TGI-2026r1- © Fifty5Blue
From a Digital OOH perspective, the World Cup lends itself particularly well to dynamic and contextually relevant creative, allowing brands to:
- Run real-time, dynamic content such as live scores, countdowns to kick‑off and full‑time results, providing added value to fans on the move and an opportunity to tap into the excitement the games will no doubt provide.
React in real time as the tournament unfolds, with copy that can be updated by match, daypart or result, ensuring campaigns remain current and attention‑worthy throughout the competition.
Although Ireland may not have qualified this time, interest levels remain exceptionally high. Almost half of adults in the Republic of Ireland say they are likely to follow the tournament – nearly double the level seen in Great Britain (TGI). When Ireland played Czechia, the RTÉ Player attracted 1,059,000 streams, the highest number of streams for any single event in the platform’s history, while RTÉ2’s audience peaked at 1.6 million.
Source: RTÉ2 audience reached 1.6 million peak for Ireland game
Supporter data further underlines the opportunity for nuanced targeting. England is the team with the highest proportion of Irish backing at the World Cup at 13%, followed by Brazil (12%), Spain (8%), Scotland (6%) and Portugal (6%). In Dublin, non‑Irish citizens account for 17% of the population, with Brazilians forming the largest single non‑Irish group. For brands with international roots or specific diaspora audiences, targeted OOH offers the ability to reflect that diversity creatively, from language choices to team‑specific messaging in relevant locations.
Source: Irish fans back England for the World Cup in surprise poll | Ticketmaster IE Blog & Diversity in the city - Dublin.ie
Even among those without a strong country tie, the World Cup generates sustained buzz across the tournament period: office sweepstakes, social media chatter, big‑screen events and busy hospitality venues. For planners, the challenge is not whether audiences will be present, but how to reach them with the right message, at the right moment, in the right context.
If you are planning around the World Cup and would like to explore audience insights, format options or dynamic content possibilities, contact our sales team to discuss the best approach for your brief.