AANHPI audiences carry deep sports loyalties that mirror their global roots and characterize alternatives for U.S. advertisers forward of the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Soccer is the dominant sport throughout most of Asia. Nielsen Fan Insights exhibits that soccer ranks #1 in Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, and Singapore, and is a top-two sport in India and Japan.1 In the U.S., 33% of Asian Americans categorical curiosity in soccer, forward of the 28% U.S. common. For Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders within the U.S., soccer curiosity jumps to 37%.2
With the FIFA World Cup™ hosted throughout 11 U.S. cities this summer season, that present ardour meets a once-in-a-generation second on American turf. For manufacturers planning across the event, the Asian viewers represents a extremely engaged fan section with robust cultural ties to the worldwide sport. In truth, 23% of Asian Americans say the FIFA World Cup™ was a part of rising up of their tradition in comparison with 17% of the entire U.S. inhabitants.3
Today, that cultural ardour manifests in main soccer milestones, equivalent to South Korean megagroup BTS co-headlining the first-ever FIFA World Cup™ Final halftime show and Filipina-American pop star Olivia Rodrigo’s limited-edition FC Barcelona jersey.
How can advertisers win with AANHPI fans in the course of the event and beyond?
- Plan towards the cultural calendar early. Sustained success with this viewers requires proactive funding aligned with pivotal cultural moments. Use the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ as a place to begin, and prolong engagement by means of the MLB postseason and the return of American soccer—the game that dominates 66 of the highest 100 applications AANHPI viewers tuned in for in 2025.4 Across these main sports moments are holidays and heritage months like Diwali, Filipino American Heritage Month or Lunar New Year that spotlight cultural connections all over the world.
- Sports ship dwell tune in, however digital dominates each day. 45% of AANHPI adults determine as Cord-Nevers, the very best fee of any racial or ethnic group within the U.S.5
Develop a precise media strategy that accounts for their streaming-first habits, their excessive consideration to culturally related artistic, and their overindexed engagement in premium postseason sports stock.
AANHPI audiences are searching for connection within the media they devour, and the manufacturers that join authentically are incomes their consideration and their enterprise. An inclusive strategy to cross-media measurement is important to assume beyond the generic advert purchase and present up the place AANHPI audiences are leaning in.
Want to dive deeper?
Maximize your event technique: Visit Nielsen’s FIFA World Cup™ Media Intelligence Hub to unlock data-driven insights, viewership traits, and key activation methods forward of this summer season’s historic event.
Explore the AANHPI Diverse Intelligence Series: Download The Fandom Effect, the sports-focused chapter of our newest sequence, for extra insights on AANHPI viewers engagement with sports.
Short on time? Catch the Top Ten AANHPI audience highlights.
Notes
1 Source: Nielsen Fan Insights, India, Japan, Feb 2026, Indonesia, South Korea, Nov 2025, Singapore, Thailand, May 2025
2 Source: Nielsen Fan Insights, USA, April 2025 – March 2026
3 Source: Nielsen Fan Insights, USA, Feb 2025 – Jan 2026
4 Source: Nielsen National Panel, L+7, Non-Hispanic Asian, P2+, 2025
5 Source: Nielsen Scarborough USA+, 2025 R2