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  "description": "If you care about how brands show up around big cultural moments, this summer’s World Cup is going to be a stress test. Not just for creative work, but for how well we understand what football actually provides people with in 2026.",
  "path": "/football-isnt-just-the-90-minutes-anymore-3-signals-for-2026/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-24T11:29:08.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.thesubthread.com",
  "tags": [
    "Subscribe now"
  ],
  "textContent": "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.\n\nBelow are three ideas that stuck with me, and feel especially useful for anyone working in and around brands, agencies or rights holders this year.\n\nJames Kirkham presenting during the Meta Summer of Football webinar\n\n**1. The Aftermath Economy Is Real**\n\nJames talked about what he calls the “aftermath economy” – the bit after the whistle.\n\nIt’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.\n\nMost 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.\n\n### This post is for subscribers only\n\nBecome a member to get access to all content\n\nSubscribe now",
  "title": "Football Isn’t Just the 90 Minutes Anymore: 3 Signals for 2026",
  "updatedAt": "2026-02-25T21:47:47.485Z"
}