Marina Shalamova, Head of Strategy, and Maria Prykhodko, IM Strategist at digital agency VIVID, spoke exclusively to MMR about how Ukrainian media football shows what audiences really pay attention to — and how brands can use these insights for effective integrations ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The year 2026 creates a unique context for brands: the World Cup, European tournaments, and the Nations League will generate record media interest. To understand where the audience's real attention is focused, it is worth looking at Ukrainian media football — an ecosystem where working models of football content have already been formed.
What is media football — and why is it interesting for brands?
Media football is football teams created by bloggers, media personalities, and former players, where the main product is not only the match itself, but also the content surrounding it. Games, conflicts, behind-the-scenes footage, challenges, and players' personal stories are turned into a continuous series on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
The format emerged at the intersection of sports, blogging, and reality shows: the match is only part of the story here. Teams build not only sports results but also characters, drama, and viral moments.
That is why media football is becoming an alternative to classic sports integrations for brands. In this ecosystem, it is not advertising blocks that attract the audience's attention, but participation in the content itself — in the plot, conflicts, or challenges.
Three approaches shaping the market
In media football, a “Big Three” has clearly emerged — players, each of which offers brands a different model of content, reach, and audience.
High-End Drama — UA Steel League
UA Steel League is building a league as a reality show.
Conflicts at press conferences, declarations of love on the field (6.4 million views), emotional breakdowns by commentators (over 900,000 views).
Brands can achieve real reach here, but only if the integration fits organically into the drama of the event. A banner against the backdrop of an emotional moment does not work. But a partnership that reinforces or is “present” within the plot does.
Algorithmic hacking — PROFAN
PROFAN has found its niche and focuses on TikTok algorithms to gain greater reach.
Their “Football Challenge” garnered 2.6 million views on TikTok and only 17,900 on Instagram.
Sketches, challenges, memes — everything is tailored for TikTok, which is why the same video can show a 150-fold difference across different platforms. For a brand, this is the fastest way to reach a young audience with a relatively low production budget. But it is important to understand that a new audience does not equal loyal fans.
Buddy Movie — Ignis FC
Ignis FC is a series about two old friends. The Milevsky–Aliyev duo works on nostalgia and human chemistry: viewers come for the characters, not the score on the scoreboard.
“Milevsky didn't expect this from his friend.” — 424k on Instagram, 461k on TikTok. Rough play against Milevsky — 312k. Challenges with players — up to 655k.
For the brand, this means access to a warm, loyal fan base. But there is a caveat: the reputational context of the characters requires careful auditing before launch.
Related players: niche but strategically important
In addition to the “Big Three,” there are other players offering different formats.
Ruh Media Team has invented what is perhaps the cheapest way to achieve high engagement. Their “microphone on the field” format, where viewers can hear the players shouting during the game, consistently generates 168,000–243,000 views. The viewer does not rewind. For a brand, this is the ideal entry point: your logo is on the screen while the person is completely immersed in the content.
ARMAT FC demonstrates the most effective model in terms of ROI. One long video on YouTube (which in itself gets few views) is cut into 10–15 clips for TikTok and Instagram. One of these clips garnered 359,000 views. The referee's dispute with Seleznyov garnered 304,000 views on Instagram. For the brand: one investment in filming = a month of content.
KONO.ECF is a cautionary case. The team relies on one person — Yevgeny Konoplyanka. His bullet gains 212,000 views, while the rest of the team's content gains 2,000–3,000 views. If you are considering a partnership where all traffic depends on one person, factor this into your risk assessment.
What brands “buy” on each platform
Platforms are not distribution channels. They are different products with different audiences, different mechanics, and different attention prices. Our data shows how these differences work on each platform.
TikTok — scale.
The main source of new audiences. Even simple compilations consistently gather 50–500 thousand views. There is no “star filter” here — an unknown player with charisma can surpass a legend with a boring video. If your goal is recognition among teenagers and young adults, this is your priority.
Instagram — status.
The highest peaks in reach are recorded here, but they are tied to specific types of content: celebrities, conflicts, personal moments. Content featuring Konoplyanka, Milevsky, and Seleznyov often gets more views here than on TikTok. If you are building a premium brand and working with celebrities, this is your priority.
YouTube — a trap or an opportunity.
Most classic formats fail here: match reviews — 1–2 thousand views, interviews — less than 10 thousand, football debates — 300–900 views. Shorts copied from TikTok without adaptation — less than 1,000 (the same Ignis FC video — 892 on Shorts versus 461 thousand on TikTok). Viewers don't want 15 minutes of mediocre football — they want 15 seconds of scandal.
But it's too early to write off YouTube. Structurally, it's the same logic as with television: the platform isn't dying, the old format is dying.
Three formats that work:
- Reality vlogs — Ignis FC's video garnered 12,000 views (10 times more than the match review). Ruh Media Team base tour — 16,800 views.
- Shorts with celebrities — (87,000 views), (120,000 views). The only format on YouTube that can compete with Instagram.
- YouTube as a production base — the ARMAT FC model. Long videos become raw material for 10–15 clips that gather hundreds of thousands of views on other platforms.
Conclusion for the budget: do not finance classic match reviews on YouTube. Finance reality vlogs, which are then cut into dozens of viral videos.
How to work with media football
Based on our research, we have formulated a checklist of five rules that separate a working partnership from a budget drain.
1.Define the format of cooperation and ask for a content plan
If your partner does not have an answer, your budget will go towards a one-off video with 2,000 views. Teams that shoot without an editorial plan cannot guarantee regularity or coverage. Before investing, make sure there is not just an “idea,” but a plan with formats, platforms, and predictable mechanics for distribution and audience engagement.
2. Look at media kits with real statistics, not top cases
One viral video against a backdrop of typical 2-3 thousand views is not an indicator. Ask: what percentage of content gets over 100 thousand views and on which platform? If the record result is an exception, your integration will most likely fall into the second group, not the first.
3. Choose a partner for a specific task
If you need to reach a young audience, go to PROFAN on TikTok. If you need status and association with names, go to UA Steel or Ignis FC on Instagram. If you want deep engagement and presence, go to Ruh Media Team with their “microphone on the field” format. Trying to buy “everything at once” from one partner usually means that you don't get anything worthwhile.
4. Determine how your brand will be integrated
Ask if there is a place for the brand within the storyline: a product in the character's hands, a mention in dialogue, a bow tie, mechanics associated with your name. The most valuable integration is the one that is not rewound. The least effective is the one that is there, but no one sees it.
5. Agree on KPIs before you start
Reach is the easiest number to manipulate. More important metrics are viewing time, number of shares, and substantive comments. If your partner is not ready to provide a detailed report, you are dealing with a team that is not yet ready for serious partnerships.
Don't be a “commercial break”
Brands that come to media football with a “placement” mindset get a line in the credits. Brands that think like co-producers and ask the right questions before launch get content that the audience shares themselves.
The difference between 6.4 million views and 1,200 is not a statistical anomaly. It's a new reality. And the advantage will go to those who understand what exactly they are paying for.