YouTube has announced the first YouTube FIFA Creator Cup, an exhibition match that will stream globally on YouTube from New York City.
The event is part of YouTube's preferred platform partnership with FIFA and will feature YouTube creators, athletes and celebrities in a football match.
YouTube also outlined a creator line-up for the FIFA World Cup 2026, with contributors set to attend matches throughout the tournament and produce coverage for audiences on the platform.
Those creators have a combined subscriber base of more than 350 million. Their coverage is expected to include tactical analysis, pitch-side challenges and content focused on the wider fan experience around the tournament.
Among those named is Canadian creator Jeenie Weenie, who has 13 million subscribers and is part of the global line-up for the tournament.
The announcement adds a creator-led element to FIFA's broader media and audience strategy, as major sports bodies look to reach younger viewers through digital platforms and online personalities.
Sports organisations and media groups have increasingly turned to creator partnerships to expand tournament coverage beyond traditional broadcast formats. The approach has become more common as platforms compete for audience attention around live events and related short-form video.
Creator strategy
For YouTube, the Creator Cup provides a live sports-adjacent event tied directly to one of football's biggest properties. It also expands the role of creators from commentary and fan reaction into the event itself.
The planned World Cup coverage points to a broader effort to position creators as on-the-ground storytellers around the tournament, focusing not only on matches but also on culture and community.
YouTube did not disclose team captains or player details for the Creator Cup. Further information on participants is expected later.
The match will take place in New York City, giving a FIFA-linked event a US setting at a time of growing attention on football in North America ahead of the next men's World Cup.
YouTube described the creator roster as a global line-up, reflecting the international audience that both FIFA and YouTube are seeking to attract through the partnership.
Jeenie Weenie was the only creator named in the announcement. YouTube also noted that her series Cabin Pressure recently made the Emmys ballot.
The YouTube FIFA Creator Cup will be livestreamed exclusively on YouTube.
The tournament's broadcast reach will also see a historic first, as FIFA's official media partners will have the option to live stream the first 10 minutes of every match on their respective YouTube channels.
Additionally, these official partners will be able to stream a select number of matches in full on the platform to engage a broader global audience. Aside from Canadian creator Jeenie Weenie, the diverse global roster features popular international figures such as the UK-based group The Sidemen, Brazilian creators Neagle and Viniblogger, and American content creators Jesser and Deestroying.
The overall content strategy aims to blend elite sports entertainment with localized culture, including host city aesthetic tours and culinary deep-dives into local food cultures. In the meantime, fans looking forward to the July 12th kickoff in New York can visit FIFA's official YouTube channel to explore archival match footage and classic tournament moments.