Bestway Wholesale launches World Cup 2026 campaign

Bestway Wholesale has launched its World Cup 2026 national campaign, designed to help independent retailers maximise sales and drive footfall across key match-day categories.

Building on the strong performance of Bestway’s EURO 2024 campaign, which delivered an average 44% sales uplift for participating brands, the World Cup 2026 programme introduces an even more impactful activation designed to drive retailer engagement and maximise incremental sales.

Running in more than 60 depots nationwide until 16 July 2026, the campaign combines in-depot theatre, digital communications and targeted trade media engagement to help retailers capitalise on heightened consumer demand throughout the tournament.

The activation has been developed to help retailers capture the significant uplift traditionally seen in food and drink sales during major football competitions and convert these moments into higher spend per visit.

At the heart of the campaign is the ‘Bestway Stadium’ concept, with depots transformed into full-scale football environment. Retailers entering depots will experience immersive football-themed installations including pitch-side hero zones, stadium-inspired displays and tunnel-style brand activations.

These high-impact visual displays will showcase leading brands and promotional mechanics across key food and drink categories associated with tournament viewing occasions.

Soft drinks, crisps & snacks, confectionery and licensed products were among Bestway’s strongest-performing categories during previous football-led trading periods, and this year’s campaign will feature strong supplier participation across these core categories.

By recreating the atmosphere and anticipation of live football within depot environments, the activation aims to drive stronger engagement with featured ranges, elevate brand visibility and encourage retailers to push key categories that perform strongly during major sporting events.

Kenton Burchell, group trading director at Bestway Wholesale, said: “Major sporting tournaments like the FIFA World Cup create significant trading opportunities for independent retailers, particularly across key food and drink categories linked to match-day occasions.

“Our World Cup 2026 activation has been designed to provide retailers with a clear, structured platform to capture this demand. By combining captivating in-depot theatre with strong promotional mechanics and coordinated digital communications, we are creating an environment that encourages engagement, drives visibility for supplier brands and ultimately helps retailers maximise sales throughout the tournament.”