The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already underway and is shaping up to be one of the most significant marketing events of the decade. Beyond its sporting magnitude, the tournament arrives at a particularly interesting moment for brands, as millions of consumers now have artificial intelligence tools integrated directly into the messaging platforms they use every day.
For businesses, this represents an unprecedented opportunity to strengthen customer relationships and transform the interest generated by the event into conversations, experiences, and sales. In this context, WhatsApp Marketing strategies are playing an increasingly important role in helping brands connect with audiences during one of the world's most important sporting events.
Historically, competitions of this scale have generated spikes in consumer attention and created unique opportunities for brands to engage with customers. According to data shared by WhatsApp during a recent meeting with businesses and ecosystem partners, seven out of ten consumers are more likely to purchase products or services from brands that advertise within sports-related environments. At the same time, 80% of Argentinians prefer using WhatsApp to communicate with businesses rather than other channels such as email, web forms, or phone calls.
The scale of the opportunity is also reflected in audience expectations. Data presented by WhatsApp indicates that eight out of ten Argentinians plan to follow at least part of the 2026 World Cup, while 64% of the country's online users already interact with businesses through messaging at least once a week.
However, the true differentiator of this World Cup is not simply the number of connected users, but rather the evolution of the technology available to engage with them.
Toward a conversational World Cup
Qatar 2022 provided a clear demonstration of the role messaging plays in major global events. During the final match between Argentina and France, WhatsApp recorded a historic global peak of 25 million messages per second, according to Meta.
At that time, however, generative artificial intelligence was not yet part of consumers' everyday experiences. The most advanced AI capabilities were still in the early stages of development, and far from achieving the widespread adoption they enjoy today.
The 2026 landscape is dramatically different. Artificial intelligence capabilities are now embedded within the applications millions of people use every day, enabling businesses to deliver far more natural, personalized, and efficient conversational experiences.
If Qatar was the World Cup of conversations between people, 2026 could become the World Cup of conversations between people and brands.
WhatsApp automation and artificial intelligence
For years, businesses primarily used digital channels to distribute information in a one-way format. Later came chatbots and automated conversations capable of handling basic inquiries.
Today, we are entering a new era powered by AI agents capable of understanding individual customer needs, personalizing responses, and executing complex actions.
At the same time, tools such as WhatsApp Flows, powered by the WhatsApp Business API, enable users to complete actions directly within the conversation itself, reducing friction and eliminating the need to leave the application to make a purchase, request information, or complete a service process.
Messaging is therefore evolving from a simple communication channel into a true business interface.
WhatsApp Business Integration and Omnichannel Communication
The benefits are already becoming evident in business performance metrics. According to The Total Economic Impact of WhatsApp Business Platform, a study conducted by Forrester Consulting for Meta, organizations that advance the WhatsApp Business integration of sales, customer service, loyalty, and repurchase processes can achieve a 275% return on investment over three years, driven by both revenue growth and operational efficiency gains.
The study also highlights significant improvements in customer satisfaction, retention, operational efficiency, and lead generation.
For brands, this means that conversation is no longer merely a customer support tool—it has become a growth engine. When these capabilities are incorporated into a broader omnichannel communication strategy, organizations can deliver more consistent experiences throughout the entire customer journey.
How to sell through WhatsApp during the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 World Cup offers a massive audience, high engagement levels, and an emotional context that is difficult to replicate at any other time of the year. However, capitalizing on this opportunity requires innovative and well-planned marketing campaigns.
Companies that successfully combine messaging, automation, and artificial intelligence will be better positioned to transform the attention generated by the event into long-term customer relationships and measurable business outcomes.
At Plusmo, we help organizations develop these strategies through comprehensive WhatsApp Business solutions, WhatsApp automation, and artificial intelligence capabilities that optimize operations and enhance customer engagement through WhatsApp, creating more relevant conversational experiences for every customer.
Because during the 2026 World Cup, capturing consumer attention will not be enough. The real differentiator will be transforming that attention into meaningful conversations that create memorable experiences, drive sales, and ultimately reveal how to sell through WhatsApp in the new era of intelligent messaging.
