The Chinese men’s team only competed in one World Cup, in 2002, and finished the first phase with three defeats – one of them 4-0 to Brazil – and without scoring a single goal. The women’s team has more tradition and has been to 8 editions of the FIFA World Cup, reaching runner-up in 1999. Even though it is not a sport with a longer tradition, the World Cup has a lot of visibility and generates consumption in the Asian country. What is the reason for this appeal?
Theo Paul Santana, a specialist in China/Brazil business and founder of Destino China, has an explanation on the tip of his tongue: because, for the Chinese, the World Cup goes far beyond sport. “The World Cup functions as a major platform for entertainment, media, consumption and brand discovery. Even when the Chinese team does not participate in the competition, public interest remains extremely high”, he describes
According to Santana, to get a sense of this impact, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar reached around 1.16 billion people in China. On television alone, more than 509 million viewers watched the games. Furthermore, Chinese participation in the digital consumption of content related to the tournament was among the highest in the world.
Planner InfoMoney
Plan your trip to the next World Cup!
“This makes the World Cup a huge showcase for brands, products and experiences”, he highlights.
Another important factor is that the Chinese consumer is highly digital, says the expert. Platforms such as Douyin, Xiaohongshu, WeChat and Weibo simultaneously function as social networks, entertainment channels, product recommendations and shopping environments.
Also read:
“During major sporting events, public attention increases and, in China, attention tends to quickly convert into consumption when there is a well-structured strategy,” he explains.
Therefore, for Brazilian companies, the 2026 World Cup also represents an opportunity to connect products to the positive image that the country has in the Chinese imagination. “Products such as coffee, açaí, beef, natural cosmetics, fashion and premium foods can benefit from this movement when associated with a strong narrative of origin, culture and lifestyle”, lists
In other words, Santana argues that the World Cup generates an audience, but, for those who know how to work on branding and positioning, it can also generate business.
Continues after advertising
