A huge cut-out with images Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar installed near the St Andrews beach in Thiruvananthapuram

The FIFA World Cup 2026 fever is gripping Kerala, with fan clubs across the State transforming streets into football hubs through towering cutouts of stars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo, alongside largescale LED public screenings that bring communities together.

This year’s tournament carries a special emotional connection for Kerala following the selection of Kannur-rooted footballer Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid to Qatar’s 26-member World Cup squad. The 19-year-old winger, born and raised in Doha to parents from Kannur, could become the first footballer of Indian origin to play in a FIFA World Cup if he takes the field.

Community screenings are taking several forms across the State, ranging from commercial fan parks and cinema hall screenings to traditional open-air neighbourhood watch parties.

Novel initiative

In a novel initiative, an arts and sports club at Kurikkathoor in Kunnamangalam, Kozhikode, has purchased one acre of land for playing purposes and community viewing of World Cup matches.

Nithin KT, secretary of Sarilaya Club, said the land was acquired for ₹20 lakh through contributions from 1,700 members, each donating ₹2,000. The intention is to convert the property into a football ground, addressing the shortage of accessible playing fields that affects children’s sporting development and community health.

Since the land requires further preparatory work before it can be used as a playing field, the club decided to utilise it during the World Cup season by organising a football carnival featuring a giant screen and seating for more than 500 spectators.

As football fever intensifies, football-themed mundus and lungis featuring star players and team colours are also emerging as popular fashion statements across Kerala.

Unusual challenge

However, industry experts say that the tournament is confronting an unusual challenge in India. With most matches scheduled during post-midnight and early morning hours, concerns are growing over audience delivery, advertiser interest and media monetisation.

The timing challenge appears to have already influenced broadcaster sentiment, with relatively subdued interest from advertisers regarding audience reach and commercial viability, according to Dominic Savio, founder of Buzzstop Integrated Communications.

The issue is particularly significant in Kerala, where football traditionally commands strong engagement during World Cup seasons. The 2022 edition witnessed substantial participation from brands and marketers including sponsorship involvement from Kerala-founded edtech company Byju’s.

The time-zone disadvantage may also create monetisation challenges for digital platforms. While OTT services can continue benefiting from highlights, clips and catch-up viewing, premium advertising rates remain closely linked to live audience delivery.

According to Savio, brands should shift a portion of their football marketing budgets towards experiential initiatives such as public screenings, fan engagement programmes, prediction contests and community-based activations rather than conventional television advertising.

For broadcasters, advertisers and streaming platforms, FIFA World Cup 2026 could become an important case study on how global sporting events perform in a market where audience attention is increasingly fragmented and commercial success depends as much on viewing convenience as on sporting appeal, he added.

Published on June 15, 2026