WALKERS NAMED OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF FIFA WORLD CUP 26™ & FIFA WOMEN'S WORLD CUP 2027™

• Walkers' sponsorship comes as part of an expansion of the partnership between the brand's parent company, Frito-Lay and FIFA
• The partnership builds on Frito-Lay's success as Regional Supporter during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and as Tournament Supporter at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™
• Walkers, alongside an iconic portfolio of food brands that includes Doritos, Walkers MAX, Quaker, PopWorks, and more, is now taking the sponsorship to the next level and going global in celebration of fans' passion for football 
• Deal will encompass two historic milestones for FIFA; the biggest FIFA World Cup™ ever, and the first-ever South American FIFA Women's World Cup™ in 2027

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Walkers, a brand that has been bringing people together for generations, is building on its commitment to celebrating football fandom by becoming an Official Sponsor of both the FIFA World Cup 26™ and FIFA Women's World Cup 2027™. Walkers' sponsorship comes as part of a global extension of Frito-Lay's - the crisp brand's parent company - successful role as a Regional Supporter during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and as a Tournament Supporter at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™.

The exciting new partnership brings together two titans – the nation's favourite crisp brand and the world's biggest and most popular single sporting event for men and women – to spread the joy of the beautiful game to millions of fans worldwide.

As Official Sponsor, Walkers, alongside a global portfolio of iconic food brands including Doritos, Walkers MAX, Quaker and PopWorks, will bring fans closer to the game than ever before with exclusive experiences, merchandise, consumer activations and more.

"Partnering with FIFA marks a significant milestone for our business and ambition to embed Walkers and our extended portfolio of food brands deeper into football culture," said Jane Wakely, Chief Consumer and Marketing Officer and Chief Growth Officer, International Foods – Lay's. "Football is one of the world's biggest passion points, and this historic partnership allows us to bring the excitement and reach of the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women's World Cup together with the joy and fun of our iconic brands across the world."

FIFA President Gianni Infantino added: "We're delighted to extend this partnership with Walkers and Frito-Lay and strengthen our collaboration as we head into a historic period for FIFA and the wider football community. After being involved in the last FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women's World Cup, we're proud to have a partner that shares in our trust, vision, and ideas for the development of the global game and has joined us on this journey into the future. Together, we will create special experiences for fans worldwide."

The FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the first edition to feature 48 teams and to be hosted across three countries – Canada, Mexico and the United States – while the FIFA Women's World Cup™ will be held in South America for the first time in 2027. With the two tournaments set to make history, Walkers is joining the hype by rewarding football fans in new and unexpected ways. The partnership will break new ground at both tournaments by recognising and rewarding the 'Fan of the Match' at every match, spotlighting those in the stands whose passion and energy bring the beautiful game to life, and providing them with one-of-a-kind experiences.

Additionally, Walkers, and the full portfolio of food brands, will engage fans on a global scale via in-store and digital promotions leading up to the FIFA World Cup 26™ and the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027™.

Walkers' association with football spans back over 20 years, mostly due to the long-standing partnership with former-footballer and TV presenter Gary Lineker. The brand has used this iconic partnership as a platform to surprise and delight football fans through limited-edition Salt & Lineker packs, as well as offering football fans an epic VIP box experience with Gary at Wembley and humourous iconic TV campaigns. More recently, the brand has also leveraged the global Lay's marketing platform to create No Walkers, No Game, which has created viral moments with mega-stars like David Beckham and Thierry Henry, who surprised football fans at a live match at San Siro Stadium, and later when Thierry Henry went knocking on doors across the UK in search of a bag of Walkers; further surprising two lucky winners with the opportunity to watch a match together with himself and David Beckham.    

In addition to joining Lay's ongoing and extended relationship with FIFA, Walkers has continued its commitment to football at the community level. Under the umbrella of the global Lay's RePlay programme, the brand created a Walkers RePlay pitch in the community of Leicester, mobilising the power of the game to create positive impact and drive purpose-led initiatives. The RePlay programme brings joy to deserving communities by creating sustainable football pitches partially made of reused chip bags in tandem with educational programming. The Walkers RePlay pitch in Leicester is used by an average of 450 people each month, acting as a community hub for residents and has driven positive change by offering educational sports programmes, mental health workshops, employability interventions and football fitness sessions.

Contact

Kelly Rada
krada@golin.com

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