More Than Soccer

As we looked to build on the inaugural Leagues Cup’s “New World. New Game.” storytelling, we knew this was a crucial moment to elevate and celebrate all that sets the North American game apart from the rest of the football world. While Leagues Cup’s first chapter focused on the North American game’s youthful, innovative spirit that stands out in a sport desperate for something new, we now had the consumer research to show we’re not winning EPL and Liga fans just yet.

In this second chapter, we decided to focus less on what the greater football world needed from our tournament and more on what our continent needed from it — fair competition, a reminder of what connects us, and a celebration of all that makes our continent’s collective approach to the game so unique.

Our continent feels more divided than ever. We’re constantly inundated with news and commentary highlighting — and, it seems more often than not, contributing to — worsening social, cultural, and political divides between the USA, Mexico, and Canada. But sport, as always, offers hope and connection even in the most troubled times.

We needed to make it clear to the consumer that Leagues Cup brings meaningful, high-stakes competition at a time when global football’s typically in its off-season. We also wanted to celebrate the intense rivalries between clubs, leagues, and nations, while still standing for unity across the North American game. It was a tough needle to thread, but we’re always here for it.

We landed on the key message “More than Soccer. This is Leagues Cup.” to build FOMO for the vibrant culture and welcoming community of North American soccer. We launched this narrative with an hero film that captures the spirit of our game, while nailing Leagues Cup’s main differentiator as the premier annual showcase of the best of club football in North America. It’s a high-energy “rallying cry,” packed with celebrities and soccer greats, unique traditions, and the greatest fans on earth. We were calling all the disparate cultures and fandoms to come together to experience the unity, rivalry, and audacity of North American soccer that only Leagues Cup can offer.

We also created the first Leagues Cup flag, seen above, to be the campaign’s Key Visual. Our Leagues Cup kit, below, was the signature merch of the 2024 installment and yet another reminder of the sheer scale of the celebration.