- Celsius launched "The Surge," a World Cup-timed campaign starring DJ Diplo, soccer stars Weston McKennie, Declan Rice, and Hirving Lozano, plus creator Marlon Garcia, to promote its new limited-edition Electric Vibe tropical freeze flavor.
- The campaign debuted at the Celsius Soccer Classic charity event in Los Angeles on April 22, with the hero spot produced by Quiet Half.
- Celsius holds no official FIFA World Cup sponsorship but will activate at nine U.S. matches this summer through fan events, branding, hospitality, and sampling.
- Celsius Holdings reported $2.5 billion in full-year 2025 revenue, holding roughly 20% dollar share of the U.S. energy drink category in Q4.
Celsius is going all-in on soccer this summer. The energy drink brand dropped “The Surge,” a 30-second campaign spot timed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring DJ Diplo, USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, and Mexican winger Hirving Lozano.
The spot, produced by Quiet Half, opens with a foosball match that escalates into a full pro soccer game with Diplo providing a live DJ set on the sidelines.
The campaign promotes Celsius’ new limited-edition Electric Vibe sparkling tropical freeze flavor and reimagines the brand’s signature “Live. Fit. Go.” tagline as “Live. Fit. Goal.” for the World Cup window.
Declan Rice is coming off a career-defining 2024-25 season, winning Arsenal’s Player of the Season award and becoming the first player in history to score two direct free kicks in a Champions League knockout match, both against Real Madrid. Celsius named him a global brand ambassador in May 2025, making this campaign a natural extension of that relationship.
Weston McKennie recently signed a contract extension with Juventus through 2030 and was named to the 2025-26 Serie A Team of the Season.
Hirving Lozano, nicknamed “El Chucky,” appears in the campaign amid a high-profile club standoff, having not played a competitive match since November 2025 following his fallout with San Diego FC, putting his Mexico World Cup call-up in serious doubt.
Diplo brings strong World Cup credentials to the campaign. He produced the official 2018 FIFA World Cup anthem “Live It Up” and is a self-proclaimed soccer fan and minority owner of Phoenix Rising FC. Beyond this campaign, the DJ’s Diplo’s Run Club series is now active across 10 U.S. cities in 2026.
Similarly, brands looking to ride the World Cup wave are doing so creatively, just as J Balvin and Travis Barker partnered with Coca-Cola on a new World Cup anthem and Rauw Alejandro starred in Buchanan’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.
Celsius has previously partnered with Jake Paul, David Dobrik, Flo Rida (2014–2018), Shaun White, and racing drivers on the F1 and NASCAR circuits.
The brand has held an MLS partnership since 2023, including with Inter Miami, and recently signed French Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga as part of its expanded soccer push. It has also been named the official energy drink of Baller League USA, putting it directly in front of Gen Z audiences on social and through livestreams.
Takeaways
This campaign is a masterclass in unofficial World Cup marketing. Celsius built real tournament-level presence (nine match activations, athlete partnerships, a live charity event) without spending on official FIFA rights.
The mix of talent is intentional: a DJ for culture, a decorated Premier League midfielder for credibility, a USMNT star for the home audience, and a Mexican icon (however complicated his situation right now) for Latin fanbase reach.
The Hirving Lozano angle is particularly interesting. He hasn’t played competitively in months and may not even make Mexico’s World Cup squad, yet Celsius chose him for a World Cup campaign.
That’s either very bold or a sign the deal was locked in before his situation fully unraveled, either way, it’s the kind of off-pitch moment that keeps his name in headlines.
Could “The Surge” set a new template for how lifestyle brands, rather than traditional sports sponsors, activate around mega-tournaments? With Celsius now signing athletes from the Premier League, Serie A, MLS, and Liga MX, is this the beginning of a true global sports marketing strategy?
