As the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaches, Visa, together with Serviceplan Middle East, has launched a new regional campaign, The New Game Plan, which will roll out across 15 markets and 13 languages throughout the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) region.
The campaign is built around a simple idea: the most memorable travel moments are often the ones that were never planned. During major sporting events, particularly the World Cup, cities are transformed by the energy of football fans, and journeys often take unexpected turns. Restaurants become gathering places for match screenings, public squares turn into fan zones, and spontaneous stops frequently become the highlights of a trip.
Through the campaign, Visa highlights the flexibility and security of digital payments as a support system for travellers who choose to embrace spontaneity and adapt their plans to the events unfolding around them.
“Our challenge from the very beginning was to connect three worlds – travel, Visa and the FIFA World Cup. Most stories during the tournament focus on the matches, players and stadiums, but we saw a different, more human story. The tournament does not stay in the host cities, it travels. That is why we built The New Travel Game Plan around the fan on the move, with Visa present at every stage of that journey,” said Vineeta P Vasisht, Head of Client Servicing at Serviceplan Middle East.
The campaign’s creative concept draws on everyday situations familiar to almost every traveller: a missed bus, an unexpected change of plans, or a restaurant reservation that loses out to the atmosphere coming from the street next door. In those moments, the campaign positions Visa as a tool that enables people to navigate unpredictable situations easily and securely.
A key role in the campaign is played by Pep Guardiola, whose appearance serves as a reminder that while planning matters, some of the most memorable experiences happen when we are willing to embrace the unexpected. The campaign also features Ronwen Williams.
“The New Travel Game Plan only works if you are willing to say yes to it. That is why we started with situations every traveller recognises. The seat you did not choose. The bus you just missed. The restaurant you booked that could not compete with the atmosphere across the street. We did not invent those moments. We simply found Visa in them,” said Thomas Nicolae Gheorghiu and Shalisa Hira, Associate Creative Directors at Serviceplan Middle East.
