adidas opened its 2026 World Cup with a statement that had nothing to do with the scoreboard. On the eve of the tournament, the brand turned a Mexico City venue into an immersive crossroads of sport, fashion and music, gathering football legends and cultural icons under one roof to mark the start of the biggest event in the game.
The guest list read like a crossover dream. Football names Marcelo, Maxi Rodríguez, Roberto Carlos and Jürgen Klopp mixed with athletes like Tiane Endler and a deep bench of music and entertainment figures including Kenia Os, Elena Rose, Juanpa Zurita, Alejandro Speitzer, El Bogueto and NSQK.
At the center of the room stood a bridge-inspired installation, built as the literal and symbolic link between football and the street culture that surrounds it. adidas lined the space with national-team jerseys from this summer’s field, then layered in jersey customization stations, tattoo and styling experiences, photo moments and a menu built around local flavors.
As the night turned, the bridge came alive with light, sound and large-scale projections to reveal adidas’ new local campaign, then transformed into a runway. Football-inspired fashion and the rising Bloke Core movement took over, before a surprise set from Manuel Turizo sent the crowd home.
“Mexico is about to experience a historic moment as it becomes the first country to host the FIFA World Cup for the third time,” said Jorge Dionne, General Manager of adidas Mexico. “For adidas, this tournament represents a unique opportunity to celebrate the energy that football creates both inside and outside the stadium.”
It is the opening move in adidas’ World Cup playbook, and a clear signal of how the tournament’s official sponsor plans to spend the next several weeks: connecting the pitch to the culture that has grown up around it. Read the full announcement at adidas News.
