Manchester creative agency Founder Creative has announced a strategic collaboration with LA-based sports content studio MILE 44 designed to help brands maximise impact around the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The independent creative and sports content studios aim to provide brands with the scale of a global production partner, combined with the human connection and collaboration of a boutique agency.
This is not a merger, but rather a partnership of expertise combining Founder Creative’s unrivalled cultural knowledge of football, which this year delivered a Cannes Lions Grand Prix for its Clash of Clans campaign with Erland Haaland, with MILE 44’s deep production capabilities and network rooted in North American sport and culture.
The two companies will deliver a transatlantic proposition for global brands aiming to authentically activate in the lead-up to and during the World Cup.
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Through the collaboration, brands will gain access to:
- Cultural credibility in football storytelling, creative development and commercial execution, shaped by Founder Creative’s work with leading athletes like Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé, alongside clubs, federations and rights holders
- Best-in-class production delivery and access to a diverse network of creative talent across North America, driven by MILE 44’s track record in producing high-impact content for leading sports and entertainment brands
- Seamless global-to-local delivery that bridges the passion of the global game with the cultural and commercial realities of the US, Canadian and Hispanic markets
- Authentic fan-first campaigns that resonate in culture and connect brand partners with the most significant audience moment in sport
Tom Gent, founder and creative director of Founder Creative said: “The 2026 World Cup represents the most important global sporting moment of this decade, with brands seeking to tell authentic football stories that connect with fans across the globe. Partnering with MILE 44 allows us to combine our cultural intelligence and experience working with the game’s biggest stars with Melinda [Travis, MILE 44 CEO]’s unrivalled understanding of the US market and her team’s world-class production expertise.”
Travis added: “Our team has been preparing for the scale and opportunity of the 2026 World Cup for years. By aligning with Founder Creative, we can offer global brands a bridge into the cultural depth of football while ensuring best-in-class creative and production in our own markets. Together, we can help partners navigate complexity, preserve authenticity and deliver work that cuts through.”
The collaboration will focus on both endemic and non-endemic brands looking to capitalise on football’s global influence ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Together, Founder Creative and MILE 44 can support brands with creative and brand communications strategies, TVC campaigns and social-first content creation, as well as global creator marketing, promising “campaigns that define the moments fans live for.”
