Erling Haaland and Jürgen Klopp are Letting It Pour for Budweiser this World Cup

Jürgen Klopp has his umbrella at the ready. Why? A king among men when it comes to accessorising, he knows that when the goals start to flow at this year’s World Cup, so will the beer.

Budweiser has just released their global campaign for the FIFA World Cup. The creative from Grey Global, ‘Let It Pour’, is about the outpouring of passion and beer that happens when fans get lost in the moment. Starring player-of-the-moment, Norway’s Erling Haaland, alongside the aforementioned legendary manager and style icon Jürgen Klopp, ‘Let It Pour’, is an invitation to fans to let their passion flow.

With a globe-trotting film from Grey Global and directed by MJZ's Steve Ayson, and an extensive experiential element from WINK, which will see exclusive watch parties around the world, and a whole load of merch, Budweiser is going big. But then again, you wouldn’t expect anything less from a brand that’s been part of the FIFA World Cup for over 40 years.

Budweiser global vice president Monica Mody explains that the idea behind the campaign is to capture the outpouring of emotion that the World Cup inspires in fans. “People wait years for the FIFA World Cup. When it happens, for 39 days, the entire world comes together to celebrate. ‘Let It Pour’ invites fans of legal drinking age to release that passion and let their memories, emotions, and Budweiser pour.”

At the centre of this year’s outing are two huge characters. There’s Erling Haaland, whose cheeky charisma and fleet feet have him marked out as one to watch this tournament. At a time when the big names of the international game are gearing up for their last World Cup, Budweiser has got in there with Erling at the perfect time. Even better, for this campaign he’s also managed to rope in his father, former Norway midfielder Alfie Haaland.

Also on hand is former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager, Jürgen Klopp, known for his passion at the touchline and compassion off-pitch with players and staff.

For Monica, they were the perfect pair for Budweiser’s World Cup outing. “There are celebrations, and then there are Budweiser FIFA World Cup celebrations,” she says. “Haaland and Klopp both bring the energy and emotion we were looking to unleash with ‘Let It Pour’, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have them as ambassadors.

“Haaland is one of the most anticipated players to watch in this year’s FIFA World Cup, and we were so lucky he is a big fan of Budweiser. Having his dad join the campaign was also really special, because he played in the FIFA World Cup 1994, and the two of them understand both the excitement and the legacy of this moment,” she continues. “Klopp was the perfect person to narrate this campaign because both as a player and a manager, he is renowned for the energy he brings. He embodies what it means to Let It Pour.”

For Erling, landing a massive campaign ahead of his very first World Cup is the foam at the top of the pint glass. “In my first World Cup, I’ll be leaving everything on the pitch, so Budweiser’s ‘Let It Pour’ campaign really hits home because it reflects exactly how I feel heading into the tournament,” he says.

One of the biggest challenges of creating a campaign of this scale is navigating the tension between the global and the local. The hero film weaves in vignettes from around the world, from the Japanese salaryman with his face painted escaping an empty office to an England fan clutching his beers as a Mexican wave rumbles towards him. There’s even a nod to Cape Verde, which is celebrating its first ever appearance in the tournament.

“As an iconic global brand with a 40-year history as a sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, we started with the universal passion of football fans,” explains Monica. “No matter where someone comes from, when their team is playing, they’re ready to let their emotions pour. You see this in our film; we spotlight fans of teams across the world and global icons as they embrace the energy of the sport.”

That decades-long relationship means that Budweiser has a rather special place in the tournament. As Monica explains, they’ve “been part of the experience for football fans for generations”. If it were a marriage, they’d be celebrating their ruby anniversary. In order to mark the occasion they’ve created 11 bottle designs to honour the past four decades of footballing history.

“Since 1986, Budweiser has brought fans together in stadiums and bars as they cheer on their teams, and only our brand has the power to bring them back to those memories,” says Monica, though it’s not all about looking backwards! “‘Let It Pour’ encapsulates the unmatched energy and passion that the FIFA World Cup inspires around the world, the legendary celebrations, and the iconic moments in football history that will be made in 2026.”

Indeed, Budweiser is hoping to help fans form new memories. They’ve partnered with experiential agency WINK to launch ‘Bud FC’, where they’ll be bringing fans together at watch parties in select markets around the world, channelling the energy of the stadiums.

Whether fans are watching at home, in the stadium or at one of the watch parties, Budweiser aims to connect with fans around the world and tap into that sense of excitement.

And for Jürgen Klopp, the campaign captures the unbeatable magic of the game.
“The World Cup inspires optimism and unmatched passion for every person watching, and to share that with fans around the world is truly remarkable,” he says. “I’ve lived it, so partnering with Budweiser and being part of the ‘Let it Pour’ campaign is about capturing that feeling of when fans come together, share the moment, and celebrate what makes football so special.”