In a historic first for the brand, this week Billboard launched the Billboard Global World Cup Series, an unprecedented editorial franchise that unites the worlds of music and soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Marking the first time in Billboard’s history that it has dedicated a global cover to music and sports, the series of 11 covers spotlights leading soccer players and artists across 11 countries, using Billboard’s global platform to celebrate the cultural energy, talent and influence surrounding the world’s biggest sporting event.
The series launched with the U.S. edition of Billboard, featuring U.S. men’s national team player Miles Robinson alongside rapper and actor Joey Bada$$. In the cover story, the two connect over discipline, ambition and performance, trading stories from the pitch and the studio — and engaging in spirited penalty-shot and push-up contests in between.
“There’s a rhythm and a beat to sports, and that’s why it’s always so easy to put music on top of sports montages. Because you see that excitement, almost like how you feel the excitement in a song,” said Bada$$.
Leading up to this month’s FIFA World Cup, the first held on U.S. soil since 1994, the Billboard Global World Cup Series reflects the scale and significance of the world’s most-watched sporting event. Through original photography, video and editorial storytelling, each edition features a conversation between a prominent local athlete and musician, capturing the unique relationship between sport, sound and national identity. The 11 participating countries in the series are: the United States, Colombia, Japan, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Georgia, France, Canada, Korea and Vietnam.
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