Candy Crush Saga & Alex Morgan

The 2026 FIFA World Cup represented the biggest cultural moment in North America, bringing together sport, entertainment and global fandom on an unprecedented scale. As one of the world’s most played mobile games, with a vast US audiences and a deep-rooted place in popular culture, King saw an opportunity to make the Candy Crush Saga franchise part of the World Cup conversation.

The challenge was to harness the tournament’s cultural momentum to drive awareness and engagement for Candy Crush Saga’s in-game Soccer Season tournament, creating a meaningful connection between the brand, the event and millions of football fans. 

In US soccer, the women’s national team commands unparalleled cultural visibility, driven by decades of success on the global stage (including 4x FIFA Women’s World Cup victories). However, for Candy Crush Saga to authentically enter the conversation, the campaign needed more than a recognised footballer; it needed an ambassador who could bridge elite sport, mainstream culture and the universal appeal of play.

Playmaker identified a shortlist of athletes with the strongest potential to connect with US audiences, assessing not only sporting credibility, but also cultural relevance, recognition and the ability to bring the Candy Crush Saga brand to life. One profile quickly emerged as the perfect embodiment of the campaign.

Few figures carry greater cultural weight in US football than Alex Morgan. Across a decorated career, she established herself as one of the USWNT’s defining stars, while building a profile that transcended the pitch and connected with audiences far beyond sport.

For Candy Crush Saga, that made Morgan more than a football ambassador. She represented a natural bridge between the competitive spirit of football and the universal, accessible nature of play, giving Soccer Season a personality that could bring the game to life.

Alex became the face of Soccer Season, with King using her profile to turn an in-game tournament into a wider cultural moment. 

The partnership was built around a simple idea: the game doesn’t stop when the football does. Launched across TVC, social, digital ads and OOH, Morgan invited fans to embrace Candy Crush Saga as the ultimate ‘game between games’, connecting the anticipation and excitement around the World Cup with the every day moments where fans play, helping King to reach existing players while also introducing the franchise to a new generation of football fans.

The partnership turned Alex Morgan’s cultural influence into meaningful reach for Candy Crush Saga, with the campaign generating over 19 million views across her owned social channels.

Alex’s authentic connection with football fans gave the franchise credibility within the sport, while the ‘game between games’ platform created a natural connection between the World Cup and Candy Crush Saga’s in-game tournament.

This resulted in a high-impact partnership that brought Candy Crush Saga into the cultural conversation around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, driving awareness of Soccer Season at scale and introducing the franchise to millions of engaged US football fans.

Candy Crush Saga’s partnership with Alex Morgan was strategically timed to coincide with Team USA’s strong start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Combined with real-world activations including the New York ‘Candy Cabs’ initiative, the partnership brought Candy Crush Saga into the heart of the World Cup experience, reaching fans at a moment when interest in football was at its highest.

The campaign demonstrated Playmaker’s ability to identify culturally relevant IP and integrate it into wider brand initiatives to maximise reach and engagement. By combining a globally recognised gaming franchise with one of US football’s most influential figures, Playmaker tailored the partnership strategy to King’s US market objectives, creating a campaign that felt authentic to the moment, relevant to the audience and distinctly aligned with the Candy Crush Saga brand.