Carlsberg Rolls Out Football-Themed Campaign

Carlsberg has brought back its long-running ‘If Carlsberg did..’ adverts in time for the FIFA World Cup 2026. 

The company has unveiled ‘Goal Posters’ in areas across the UK to encourage passers-by to pick up a ball and “experience the joy of a kickabout,” during the summer of football. 

"At a time when football can feel increasingly out of reach for many, we wanted to celebrate the part of the game that belongs to everyone,” says Lynsey Woods, Global Brand Director of Carlsberg.

“If Carlsberg did the best of football, more people would be playing it, not just watching it. This is a fun, simple reminder of the joy that made us fall in love with football in the first place: picking up a ball and having a kickabout.”

The advertisement sits as part of the company’s five-year UEFA National Team Football partnership, with Yves Briantais, Chief Marketing Officer and Head of R&D at Carlsberg, saying that the company is “turning traditional advertising on its head to invest directly back into the community,” with the campaign. 

Carlsberg’s ‘Goal Posters’

According to research conducted by Carlsberg, 60% of people say they miss playing football – with 44% of respondents saying they don’t have enough time, 39% saying they don’t have the team to play with and 16% lacking the space to play. 

“Somewhere between busy schedules and everyday life, most of us ended up on the sidelines,” says Yves. “In fact, our research shows that while 75% of us will watch the matches this summer, a third haven’t actually kicked a ball all year.”

But Carlsberg is looking to change that. 

The company’s ‘Goal Posters’ – simple, goal-shaped flyposters – have been placed in spaces such as Sutton Walk and Shoreditch Tunnels in London, and Bridge Street in Manchester, and are designed to encourage people to just start playing football. 

Carlsberg says the posters have already played host to “a number of spontaneous kick-abouts,” and are helping bring back the “joy of playing football” to the public. 

“To kick off the summer and bring back our iconic ‘If Carlsberg Did…’ tagline, we’re stripping away the barriers to the game,” Yves notes. “We’re installing ‘Goal Posters’ on walls in key cities, turning urban spaces into instant pitches. No bookings, no fuss. Just grab a ball and play.”

Carlsberg’s UEFA partnership

This campaign follows Carlsberg's increased investment in football, including news of a long-term partnership deal between Carlsberg and UEFA in 2025, which made Carlsberg the Official Beer of UEFA National Team Football. 

According to Carlsberg, the partnership is playing a key role in its broader strategy to invest in its portfolio of brands and accelerate long-term growth across the company. It has also marked a return to European national team football for Carlsberg, with the company’s previous partnership with UEFA lasting for approximately two decades – from UEFA Euro 1988 to UEFA Euro 2016.

“UEFA and Carlsberg share similar values and ambitions to unlock the enormous potential of the game, both in men’s and the incredible journey we have seen with women’s football in recent years,” Carlsberg CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen said of the partnership.

“We look forward to embarking on what will undoubtedly be a successful partnership, with fans at the heart of everything we have planned. As we look to build a bold and exciting future of growth, we await this exciting next chapter.”