Lay’s Brings Beckham, Messi and Steve Carell Into Epic World Cup Watch Party

A celebrity supermarket trip just turned into a once-in-a-lifetime World Cup viewing party for fans.

Together with Hungryman and Slap Global, Lay’s has unveiled "The Epic Watch Party," a global effort built around the FIFA World Cup 2026 that offers surprise celebrity moments to fans around the globe.

The campaign brings together Alexia Putellas, Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Thierry Henry, and Steve Carell, placing them directly alongside unsuspecting shoppers as part of a staged watch party experience.

At the center of the campaign is Lay’s long-running platform "No Lay’s, No Game," now in its fourth year.

The brand says the idea has always been about closing the gap between fans and football’s biggest personalities.

"The 'No Lay’s, No Game' campaign has always been about bringing fans closer to the sport and the players and personalities they love, in authentic, unforgettable and engaging ways,” said Alexis Porter, global VP of Lay’s.

"The Epic Watch Party, timed with the biggest football event on the planet, is about uniting some of the world’s greatest icons with real fans who share one simple truth: watching football is always better with Lay’s."

Apart from film and social content, the Epic Watch Party Channel on WhatsApp already counts over 10 million followers.

Here, fans can access live reactions, voice notes, and behind-the-scenes updates from the star lineup during the tournament.

Notably, the campaign is also set to introduce "Bandwagon," a U.S.-focused push.

Launching this May, the campaign aims to flip the negative connotation surrounding "bandwagoning" and encourages all kinds of fans to support their favorite teams however they want.

Inside the Watch Party Moments

The Epic Watch Party spot shows the celebrity lineup hopping into a van to head to the grocery store.

Here, they surprise everyday consumers in a supermarket setting, taking some fans with them to watch the World Cup under one roof. 

They then have a shared viewing experience, with Messi coming just in time for kickoff. 

Across its wider rollout, "No Lay’s, No Game" spans nearly 90 markets worldwide, making it one of the brand’s most expansive football platforms to date.

It runs alongside Lay’s official sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which returns to North America for the first time since 1994.

The campaign is designed as a multi-touchpoint ecosystem that combines film, social engagement, and messaging platforms.

The goal is to maintain momentum throughout the tournament cycle.

Lay’s World Cup Activation

Lay’s World Cup approach shows how entertainment-led sponsorships are evolving into multi-platform ecosystems:

• Celebrity-led activations are increasingly effective when placed in everyday environments. One can even argue that having Carell, Messi, Beckham, and Henry all in one spot is a once-in-a-lifetime marketing spectacle. 
• Messaging platforms like WhatsApp can bring a campaign to life by enabling continuous, real-time fan interaction.
• Global campaigns gain traction when paired with localized efforts that push participation for specific markets like the U.S.

PepsiCo made an estimated $94 billion in net revenue worldwide in 2025, with its food portfolio including Lay’s, Doritos, and Cheetos driving a lot of the growth. 

This shows how snack brands like Lay’s have become part of big global entertainment moments, showing up in the places where people gather and watch major events like the World Cup.

Our Take: Can Celebrity Presence Still Feel Fresh?

Previously, Lay's had these same stars join a video call.

Now, they're hitting the supermarket. 

There’s a fine line between delight and repetition when you put global icons into "unexpected" spaces.

On paper, Messi and Beckham showing up in the grocery store should feel outrageous every time.

In practice, the success depends on how human those moments feel once the cameras are rolling.

Lay's made the smart choice of avoiding over-stylizing the setting, especially when the campaign showcases larger-than-life talents.

If anything, the challenge for Lay’s isn’t access to stars, but maintaining surprise with its ongoing campaigns. 

So far, it's delivering, showing us all that the best moments here will likely be the smallest ones.

In other news, Adidas recently dropped a World Cup-themed capsule wardrobe, but for your pets. 

Brands need agencies that understand how to connect talent credibility with consumer and retail campaign objectives.

Explore these top sports marketing agencies in our directory.