Meta Launches Football-Focused Features Across Its Apps Ahead of FIFA World Cup

New experiences across Threads, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and WhatsApp bring the world’s biggest football event to life with new ways for fans to engage before and during.

Meta is rolling out a host of football-focused features across its family of apps as it gets ready for what it is calling one of the biggest sporting and cultural moments of the year.

The tech giant is launching a suite of new experiences across Threads, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger and WhatsApp to help fans stay connected to matches, athletes, creators and football communities throughout the tournament.

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Enhanced Fan Experience:

At the heart of the initiative is Threads, where Meta is launching a dedicated football experience that combines live scores, real-time discussions and community engagement. The platform will include live chats with football personalities such as former Argentina striker Sergio Aguero and former England international Ian Wright, and a dedicated football community will offer a place for match day conversations, player updates and post-match analysis.

Threads users will also have access to live scores, team flair badges, football-themed stickers, custom emoji reactions and match reminders, all aimed at creating a more immersive fan experience.

Meta is launching an improved football search experience on Instagram that collates tournament-related content from broadcasters, national teams, athletes and creators. The platform is also launching a new AI-powered “Goal!” voice effect in direct messages, allowing users to unlock football-themed animations while chatting with friends.

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Beyond the Match:

Meanwhile Facebook is launching a dedicated Football Mode with themed reactions, exclusive fan experiences and a mini-game inspired by football. The platform will also launch an AI-powered “Wear It” feature, which will enable supporters to virtually wear their national team’s jersey and share the results across posts, stories and profile pictures.

Messenger now will push real-time match events right into group conversations with a new Live Updates feature. Users will be able to customise chats with football-themed backgrounds and animated sticker packs.

Meta is expanding its football offering on WhatsApp through a partnership with Adidas. In the framework of the partnership, the football emoji has been replaced for a limited period by the official match ball of the tournament. New football-themed calling effects, sticker packs and a dedicated football directory will also help users keep track of teams, scores and updates throughout the competition.

In addition to fan engagement, Meta said it is continuing efforts to protect users during the tournament. The company is stepping up its efforts to fight scams, protect intellectual property rights and curb online abuse of athletes and fans. The new features include in-app reminders to help users identify ticket scams and stay safe when consuming tournament-related content.