This week, amid the FIFA Club World Cup, we examine the growing crossovers between soccer and the fashion industry, as well as the increasing popularity of the sport and its fashion connections in the U.S.
At Men’s Fashion Week in Paris last week, Jonathan Anderson showed off his first official collection for Dior. But there was another debut in that show: French soccer superstar Kylian Mbappe’s first stint as an ambassador for the brand.
The crossover between Dior and Mbappe, who is famously a fashion and sneaker obsessive, is only the latest example of the ongoing overlap between soccer and fashion. For example, in January, Paris Saint-Germain — Mbappe’s former team — debuted a luxury streetwear line, and in June, sports governing body FIFA announced the launch of its own luxury brand. It would be a good time for American brands to get in on the action, as several major soccer tournaments are set to take place in the U.S. over the next few years.
“What we’re seeing has been going on for years, but it’s becoming more prevalent, especially within the United States,” said Dan Lobring, svp of Stretch PR who has spent the bulk of his career in sports marketing. He’s worked with some of the biggest soccer leagues in the world including the Premier League in the U.K. and Ligue 1 in France.
“Globally, soccer is the world’s biggest game, and that translates to having some of the most recognizable athletes in the world, like [Lionel] Messi, [Cristiano] Ronaldo and Mbappe,” Lobring said. “So it makes sense for global brands to align with these global ambassadors. But in terms of timing, with the World Cup coming to North America in 2026, there’s a prime runway now for FIFA and other brands to make a heavy play for awareness and growth here in the United States. Expect to see more brand partnerships in soccer between now and 2026, and beyond.”
There are a number of ways fashion brands can tap into the growth of soccer. Like Dior, they can use prominent players as models and ambassadors. They can sponsor whole teams, as Louis Vuitton did in June when it sponsored Mbappe’s current team, Real Madrid. Or they can place themselves in the media ecosystem around soccer, as New Balance did when it partnered with Men in Blazers, a popular soccer podcast, in May. New Balance and Men in Blazers are hosting live events related to soccer throughout the year.
Interest in soccer in the U.S. has grown significantly in recent years. The total number of Americans who watched soccer games not involving the U.S. national team grew from 31 million to 50 million between 2018 and 2024, a 60% growth rate. From June 14 to July 13, the U.S. is also hosting the FIFA Club World Cup, which is slightly less prestigious than the FIFA World Cup but still popular, with over 800,000 people watching the games.
But the Club World Cup is just a dress rehearsal for when the U.S., along with Canada and Mexico, hosts the World Cup next summer. The World Cup is by far the most watched sporting event in the world with 1.5 billion tuning in when it returns every four years. This will be the first time in its history the event is held in the United States — with games planned for Boston, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami and more cities — which makes the soccer crossover opportunity more appealing than ever for fashion brands.
“The U.S. has the World Cup coming up in 2026 and then the next summer Olympics in 2028, so excitement for soccer is revving up in U.S. culture in a major way,” said Angie Meltsner, the founder of cultural trend research company Tomato Baby. “Brands are smart to tap into that and find cultural relevance. Additionally, we’re coming off a gold medal win for the women’s U.S. soccer team at Paris 2024, not to mention the huge level of cultural excitement surrounding women’s sports, in general. Overall, it’s all connected.”
American brands have already begun courting soccer ambassadors, like American player Cavan Sullivan, who became the face of Aeropostale late last year. Soccer-inflected styles, like the ever-present Adidas Samba, remain popular in the U.S. And some men have even begun wearing soccer cleats, with sole spikes, in their everyday wardrobes.
In Europe, collaborations between big fashion brands and soccer teams and players have become increasingly common, whether that’s Jacquemus with Barcelona defender Jules Koundé, Labrum and Aries separately collaborating with Arsenal, or Off-White working with AC Milan.
Just as soccer is getting more popular in the U.S., soccer players outside the country are starting to take notes from American athletes, according to Jason Arashaben. He’s the CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills, a jewelry design house that often designs custom jewelry with major athletes in a variety of sports. Some of his pieces were worn by draftees at the NBA Draft on June 25.
“Because of their size and cultural differences, international soccer players have historically been less flashy than American athletes,” he said. “But, compared to how it was 10 years ago, I’ve seen more soccer players adopting more American aesthetics, as far as jewelry.”
Jason of Beverly Hills, along with designers like MJ Jones in the U.K., are increasingly designing commemorative championship rings for soccer players and teams. Arashaben has designed championship rings for, among others, Real Madrid rival Atletico Madrid. Championship rings are a common custom in American sports like basketball and football, but are a fairly new concept in soccer.
“Soccer and basketball are in line with each other,” Arashaben said, commenting on which sport currently has the most cultural cachet in fashion. “I don’t think soccer has gotten ahead, I think they’re in the same playing field right now.”
Stat of the week
It’s no surprise that virality can make a product into a best-seller overnight, but new data from Rakuten shows just how powerful the effect can be on Gen-Z shoppers. Ninety-one percent of Gen Z reported having impulse-bought a viral product, according to Rakuten. Additionally, 58% have bought a viral item of clothing. The effect isn’t limited to Gen Z. Overall, 71% of shoppers of all ages have impulse-bought a viral product.
Executive moves
- Robert Rizzolo, formerly the chief merchandising officer of Marc Jacobs, was named the new global president of Alexander Wang on Wednesday. Rizzolo resigned from Marc Jacobs in early June, with reports that he had another job in fashion lined up.
- After 20 years as the CEO of French fashion label Christian Lacroix, Nicolas Topiol is stepping down. His departure comes just six months after Christian Lacroix was acquired by the Spanish company Sociedad Textil Lonia.
- Walpole, the British luxury advocacy organization, is getting a new chairman. Michael Ward, the managing director of Harrods and longtime chairman of the organization, will transition to an advisory role, while Tom Athron, CEO of the British department store Fortnum & Mason, will take over the role.
News to know
- Giorgio Armani’s profits dropped 24% this quarter, the company reported on Wednesday. Executives from the brand cited slowing demand in China and the United States, two of its key markets, and concerns over a possible recession as reasons for the drop.
- Kenneth Cole released an unexpected partnership with the satirical newspaper The Onion, featuring headlines emblazoned on shirts, hats and tote bags. The Onion was acquired and relaunched by journalist Ben Collins in 2024.
- Brandy Melville is suing Shein over alleged copyright infringement, the company announced on Wednesday. It’s not the first time for Shein, which has been sued by multiple designers over the years for allegedly copying styles and patterns for its low-priced, ultra-fast production.
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