As the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, more and more brands are looking for ways to connect football excitement with the everyday lives of audiences. For Heineken, this year’s tournament is not just a sporting event, but also an opportunity to open a broader conversation around employee habits, workplace culture and social connection through sport.
The new “Heineken Fan Volunteers” campaign, developed in collaboration with Le Pub New York, focuses on Volunteer Time Off (VTO) – a benefit already offered by many companies in the U.S., but one that a large number of employees rarely use. It refers to paid days off specifically intended for volunteering, separate from standard annual leave.
The campaign idea is based on a simple insight: nearly 40 percent of this year’s World Cup matches will be played during working hours in the U.S., while research cited by Heineken shows that more than half of office workers have lied to their employers at least once in order to watch an international football match. A large number of employees also admit to secretly checking scores or streaming matches during working hours.
Instead of building the communication around “escaping work,” Heineken is trying to offer a more socially acceptable and community-driven framework. Through a dedicated platform, users can find local volunteering activities scheduled at the same time as World Cup matches, with opportunities to socialize and watch games together with other fans.
The campaign was launched through a film styled as a corporate training video, with the humorous tone characteristic of Heineken’s global campaigns. Activations have already taken place in New York City and Miami during the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League, where participants volunteered in collaboration with local nonprofit organizations.
According to company data, nearly 200 participants joined the first activities. In New York City, volunteers prepared more than 3,000 meals for a local soup kitchen organization, while in Miami they participated in landscaping and beach clean-up activities at Virginia Key Beach.
The campaign is part of the broader global platform “Fans Have More Friends,” launched by Heineken earlier this year to further position the brand around the idea of shared experiences and connecting people through shared fandom across sports, music and live events.
Although Heineken is not an official sponsor of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the company has been investing heavily in positioning the brand within football culture in the U.S. in recent years. Particular focus has been placed on the period leading up to the tournament, which will be held on the American market again for the first time since 1994.
