Fox Sports pays $50K for a fan to live in Times Square and watch every World Cup match
Fox Sports is hiring a fan to watch every World Cup match from a glass cube in Times Square. The unusual role, called the Fox One Chief World Cup Watcher, pays $50,000 for the job. Meanwhile, major brands like Duracell and Heineken are also using the tournament to connect with audiences in new ways.
The position starts a week before the competition kicks off on 6 June. Applicants don’t need deep soccer knowledge—just a passion for the game and a willingness to share their reactions online. The selected fan will live in a transparent cube in New York’s Times Square for the tournament’s duration. Their job includes watching all 104 World Cup matches and creating social media content throughout. Fox Sports plans to feature them during live broadcasts, giving viewers a real-time fan perspective.
This isn’t the only creative marketing tied to the event. Duracell will run ads starring Lionel Messi on Fox and Telemundo during the tournament. Heineken’s Dos Equis brand will also appear in on-screen graphics for college football games, blending different sports audiences. Job platform Indeed is similarly targeting sports fans with its campaigns.
The trend reflects a broader push by advertisers to use major sporting events as key moments for engagement. Brands are moving beyond traditional ads, instead embedding themselves in fan experiences—whether through live reactions, celebrity endorsements, or interactive content. The Chief World Cup Watcher role begins on 6 June, with the chosen fan earning $50,000 for their participation. Their social media activity and live appearances will form part of Fox Sports’ coverage. At the same time, brands like Duracell and Heineken are leveraging the tournament’s global reach to connect with consumers in fresh, high-visibility ways.
