World Cup sponsorship adds $26 billion to Aramco's corporate value
The appearance of Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and chairman of the board of directors at Aramco, during the 2026 World Cup final coronation ceremony as he presented Spanish player Pau Cubarsí with the Best Young Player award, with the Saudi oil giant’s logo dominating the scene, was not merely a striking promotional shot; it was not the company’s only achievement.
According to estimates by Brand Finance, a firm specializing in brand valuation, Aramco achieved the highest expected impact on corporate value and the largest brand value addition among the tournament’s official sponsors.
Aramco’s brand value addition amounted to approximately $1.08 billion, while its expected impact on corporate value reached about $26.1 billion, topping the list of beneficiaries of the 2026 World Cup in terms of economic gains linked to sponsorship.
Corporate value refers to the impact reflected in a company’s value resulting from improvements in its brand strength, competitive position, and ability to generate future business, rather than direct cash revenues generated by the tournament.
Estimates revealed that sponsoring the 2026 World Cup contributed to enhancing Aramco’s corporate value by approximately $26.1 billion, the highest figure among all companies included in the study.
Aramco alone accounted for about 43% of the total corporate value generated by the tournament for sponsoring companies, which amounted to $61 billion.
Comparisons highlight the magnitude of the gap achieved by the Saudi company, as Visa’s sponsorship contribution to corporate value reached approximately $7.8 billion, while Bank of America recorded about $4.9 billion, Hyundai around $4.8 billion, Verizon approximately $4.5 billion, and Coca-Cola’s sponsorship contribution reached about $3.1 billion.
Although Aramco ranked fourth in terms of brand growth rate, it actually led in absolute economic value added by sponsorship to the company, reflecting the large scale of its operations and the global strength of its brand.
Data from the report on measuring the impact of 2026 World Cup sponsorship on global brands showed that Aramco was among the biggest beneficiaries of the tournament, having recorded an increase of approximately $1.08 billion in its brand value, raising the total brand value to about $47.3 billion.
Aramco ranked fourth globally in terms of brand value growth rate among the tournament’s official sponsors, recording a growth rate of 2.3%, behind Lenovo (4.2%), Kia (3.5%), and Hyundai (3.4%).
The total increase in brand value for participating sponsors reached approximately $7.2 billion, with Aramco alone accounting for nearly 15% of the total value added by all sponsors.
The report set three conditions for selecting companies included in the analysis: they must be official sponsors of FIFA, the parent company must be listed on financial markets with clear data on corporate value, and there must be sufficient data and research to allow for a reliable assessment.
Saudi Aramco became a key and exclusive energy partner of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in April 2024. The value of the deal was not officially disclosed, but the British newspaper The Times reported in November 2023, citing informed sources, that the partnership could be worth up to $100 million annually and is scheduled to last until 2034.
