Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes goes from the face of football to the face of fútbol as the USA hosts 2026 FIFA World Cup
The NFL’s biggest brand is front and center once again. FIFA didn’t appoint Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes as a soccer ambassador for the 2026 World Cup. FOX and adidas handed him a megaphone.
If you caught USA’s FIFA World Cup opening win against Paraguay, you might have noticed a familiar face during the pregame show on FOX.
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to U.S. Soil, Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is proving yet again to be the United States’ most marketable sports star. He doesn’t have a formal title as a soccer ambassador, but he’s positioned as the NFL’s primary crossover face for the tournament. Of course, Mahomes has his own vested interest. Starting with an ownership stake in the NWSL’s Kansas City Current and the MLS’ Sporting Kansas City. With the World Cup in town, he’s quickly gone from the face of football with the Chiefs to the face of fútbol.
First, he appeared alongside wife Brittany, Messi, Lamine Yamal, and Trinity Rodman in the adidas x Dick’s Sports Goods ‘Where It All Kicks Off’ campaign launched June 9.
“The FIFA World Cup coming to our backyard this summer is a once-in-a-generation moment for sport in North America, and we wanted to partner with DICK’S Sporting Goods to meet that energy with something truly special and reflective of the moment,” said Chris Murphy, Senior Vice President, Brand Marketing at adidas North America, via press release. “Bringing together past and current icons like Cobi Jones, Messi and Mahomes, paired with the future of the sport, including Lamine, Trinity and beyond, will inspire the next generation of athletes to watch, celebrate and play.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes takes center stage ahead of USA vs. Paraguay
It’s a rare June moment, where American football meets the world’s game. Mahomes opened things up with a hype video ahead of the USA’s first match, and he recognized the absurdity of it all.
“This is what it takes, apparently,” Mahomes began. “A football player, an American football player, explaining the world’s game, a friendly face, an easy handoff, a few buzzwords to guide you all through this foreign game called football soccer, as in, like, English football, because somebody in the boardroom figured that’s what an American audience needs.”
“Because the game belongs to the rest of the world, and we’re still catching up,” he continued. “Because it’s just 1994 all over again, but we know better.”
The USA hasn’t hosted the World Cup since 1994. They leaned on star power back then, and the result was lasting domestic traction with the MLS launching shortly after.
“30 years is a long time,” Mahomes said. “We filled stadiums, woke up at sunrise, learned the chance. Earned every stripe. We believed.”
Now, as Mahomes says, is a chance for the USA (and Kansas City) to show off its passion for the world’s game.
“The experiment is over,” Mahomes said. “USA. A World Cup at home. It’s our time.”