American influencers Austin Franklin and Kevin Akoto are being paid $50,000 [1] to watch every match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The arrangement turns sports viewership into a public spectacle, blending traditional broadcasting with influencer marketing to attract younger audiences to the tournament.

The pair was selected from a pool of more than 6,000 candidates [1]. They are tasked with watching all 104 matches [1] of the tournament, which runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026 [2]. To complete the assignment, the influencers must reside in a glass-cube installation located in Times Square, New York City [2].

A U.S. television network, identified as Fox Sports in coordination with Indeed, organized the promotion [3]. The network said it sought an observer to watch the games live for content-creation and promotional purposes [3]. This high-visibility installation allows the public to watch the influencers as they react to the matches in real time.

The assignment lasts for six weeks [2]. While some reports suggest the duration is approximately one month, the official tournament schedule spans the 40-day period from June to July [2].

Franklin and Akoto will serve as the faces of this promotional campaign throughout the event. Their presence in the glass cube is designed to generate social media engagement and foot traffic in one of the world's most visited tourist destinations.

“Austin Franklin and Kevin Akoto are being paid $50,000 to watch every match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”

This promotion reflects a shift in sports media where the experience of watching a game is as marketable as the game itself. By placing influencers in a transparent 'fishbowl' in a high-traffic area, the network is leveraging the 'creator economy' to gamify viewership and ensure the tournament remains a trending topic on social platforms throughout its duration.