Football Isn’t Just the 90 Minutes Anymore: 3 Signals for 2026

Last week I tuned into James Kirkham on Meta’s Summer of Football webinar. The founder of Iconic described football as “the North Star” of culture. It sits at the centre of gaming, music, fashion and fandom, he said, while he talked about why we can’t keep treating tournaments like neat, 90‑minute campaign windows.

Below are three ideas that stuck with me, and feel especially useful for anyone working in and around brands, agencies or rights holders this year.

James Kirkham presenting during the Meta Summer of Football webinar

1. The Aftermath Economy Is Real

James talked about what he calls the “aftermath economy” – the bit after the whistle.

It’s the long train back from an away day. The WhatsApp group picking apart substitutions. The picture carousel the next morning. The meme that refuses to die or the playlist that quietly becomes the sound of a tournament and outlives the final.

Most football marketing still builds towards kick-off and then gently powers down by full-time. But as James suggested, that’s often when the meaning actually lands. The debrief in group chats, the clips that get forwarded, the in-jokes that start on Stories and end up in real life.

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