Auto and liquor brands dominate FIFA World Cup 2026 ad spends: TAM Sports
TAM Sports data shows Mahindra & Mahindra topping Connected TV ad volumes while United Spirits led linear TV during Zee's FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast. Auto, liquor and jewellery (Kalyan's Candere) ranked as leading advertiser categories, with top 5 categories capturing 93% of linear TV volumes.
What happened
Mahindra & Mahindra · TAM Sports data shows Mahindra topped CTV ad volumes and United Spirits led linear TV for FIFA World Cup 2026, with auto, liquor and
Key facts
- 24% CTV ad volume share
- 30% linear TV share
- 42% top brands volume share
- 40% liquor share
- 69% top 5 linear TV share
- 93% top 5 categories LTV
- 57% top 5 CTV
- 14% drop
- $60 million
Why this matters
The bifurcation between M&M's Connected TV leadership and United Spirits' linear TV dominance highlights partnership and acquisition opportunities in cross-platform ad-tech and sports media rights monetization.
What to watch
- Weekly TAM Sports volume updates showing category share shifts
- ASCI or regulatory notice on surrogate liquor ads during broadcast
- New advertiser categories entering top 10 (fintech, QSR, gaming)
- CTV vs linear reach/impression disclosures from Zee
- Ad-rate movements as tournament reaches knockout stages
- Auto rivals (Tata, Hyundai, MG) counter-book CTV slots to match Mahindra's volume lead
- Broadcaster releases mid-flight rate cards discounting unsold non-top5 category inventory
- Liquor majors expand surrogate creative (music, soda, water) to sustain linear dominance
- Jewellery/D2C brands (Candere) lean into CTV retargeting tied to festive-season buying