OPINION: Why aren’t there more watches at the World Cup?

The watchmaking world loves a sport. 

Formula 1, athletics, tennis, golf. Wherever there are balls (or trainers or engines) there are partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborations galore. 

Strangely enough, football isn’t one of them. The world’s most popular sport is almost devoid of watch advertisers and partners. Significantly, Hublot withdrew from its partnership with FIFA at the end of 2025, leaving the current World Cup without an official timekeeper. It remains the title sponsor of the UEFA Champions League and has recently partnered with Mexico’s national team, but remains just about the only luxury timekeeper with links to football.

So why isn’t the most-viewed sport in the world an attractive advertising prospect for watch brands? You could argue that it’s because football players can’t wear watches while they play. But neither can most other athletes. Yes, Roger Federer always donned his Rolex to heft the Wimbledon Championship Trophy. But it was (presumably) tucked safely inside his kit bag while he was actually swinging his racquet. Similarly, you don’t see any of the F1 drivers wear their TAG Heuer or Richard Mille timepieces in the cockpit, as every gram has to be accounted for on the track. And that certainly hasn’t stopped watch brands from flocking to be associated with F1.

Hublot’s chief executive, Julien Tornare, hinted that money was a deciding factor in the watchmaker stepping back from the 2026 World Cup.”

It’s more likely to be because football is already a crowded sponsorship marketplace — and those prime partnership positions come with a hefty price tag. The cost of broadcast advertising space in the current World Cup has been estimated to start at $15 million and go up to $85 million. The price of being the World Cup’s official timekeeper? Realistically, at the top end of that.

Hublot’s chief executive, Julien Tornare, hinted that money was a deciding factor in the watchmaker stepping back from the 2026 World Cup in a quote shared in the New York Times. “If you want to own such a big sport, there is a cost of opportunity where you don’t do other things, and you might miss some other people that love sport, but not football,” he said. “Soccer doesn’t really resonate in the US.”

The opposite could also be a factor: the US hosting the World Cup may not really resonate with the world’s football fans either, especially those in Europe, where the time difference means that many of the tournament’s matches will be aired in the middle of the night. 

US travel bans and strict visa regulations have also meant some international fans have decided not to travel to support their teams. It’s a lot of money to spend on a competition that may or not be a (comparative) flop.

Outside the World Cup, there’s still a dearth of watches in the footballing world in general. But, even if there remains little appetite for sponsoring big competitions, there’s still significant opportunity for deals between individual footballers — some of the most famous faces in the world, after all — and watchmakers. 

So far, Hublot has leveraged this with its partnership with Kylian Mbappé, who it partnered with to launch the UEFA Champions League-themed Classic Fusion Chronograph in 2025, as well as the limited edition Big Bang Reloaded Kylian Mbappé in 2026. 

Jacob & Co is also leaning into partnerships with individuals, including with Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Neymar. 

But historically football has lacked a truly iconic, decades-long watch partnership in the vein of a Rolex-Federer relationship. Perhaps Hublot and Mbappé will be the ones to step into this role in the football world — or perhaps another major player will snap up an up-and-coming star as its new face. 

For now, watchmaking’s lack of presence in football is certainly noteworthy.