Walmart Stock (WMT) Soars After Landing Historic ElClasico Soccer Sponsorship Deal

Retail giant scores game-winning partnership that's sending shares climbing

The Blockbuster Deal

Walmart just secured one of sports marketing's most coveted properties—official sponsorship rights to ElClasico, the legendary rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The move signals Walmart's aggressive push into global brand visibility through premium sports partnerships.

Market Reaction

Investors are cheering the announcement with WMT shares trending upward as trading volume spikes. The timing couldn't be better—retail stocks have been searching for catalysts amid uncertain consumer spending patterns.

Strategic Play

This isn't just about slapping a logo on soccer jerseys. Walmart's targeting the massive global audience that tunes into ElClasico—hundreds of millions of viewers across 180+ countries. The retail behemoth gains instant credibility in international markets where it's still building presence.

Because nothing says 'we're serious about global domination' like paying millions to watch millionaires kick a ball around—while your stock actually moves for once.

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Indeed, under the deal Walmart will become what is known as the first presenting partner of La Liga’s “El Clasico” – that is the name given to the matches between Real and Barca during the Spanish league season.

Content and Concerts

A presenting partner is an event sponsor with the right to say such and such an event is ‘presented by…’

Through its partnership of ElClasico in the U.S., Walmart will help run large-scale viewing events, ElClasico-inspired concerts, meet-and-greets with LALIGA Legends, bespoke ElClasico content, co-branded merchandise, and retail activations.

The partnership will also debut a new visual identity for ElClasico-featuring Walmart as presenting partner-that will be used across all games in the U.S. and Canada.

In the U.S., Disney’s (DIS) ESPN airs La Liga games on its streaming platforms and TV networks. The company said in August that last season was its most successful for the league on ESPN platforms yet, with 5.4 billion minutes viewed across its networks and streaming services. Barcelona won the league last year.

Growing Game

It is tapping into the growing popularity of football, or soccer as it is known in the U.S., the World Cup in which the U.S. is one of the hosts next summer, and the huge Hispanic community in North America.

First played in 1929, the contest between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid is watched by 650 million people around the world. ElClasico is scheduled to be played the weekend of Oct. 25-26, 2025 and May 9-10, 2026 with stars such as Barca’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Real’s French striker Kylian Mbappe.

“Soccer has one of the most passionate fanbases in the world. That passion is growing rapidly here in the U.S. as we look ahead to the 2026 World Cup across North America,” said William White, Walmart chief marketing officer. “That’s why we’re thrilled to team up with LALIGA and ElClásico to fuel the energy, create unforgettable experiences, and give fans even more ways to celebrate the game they love.”

Walmart recently signed a multi-year partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS) and Leagues Cup in July. It is investing in MLS and becoming an official sponsor and partner of the league.

Is WMT a Good Stock to Buy Now?

On TipRanks, WMT has a Strong Buy consensus based on 29 Buy ratings. Its highest price target is $129. WMT stock’s consensus price target is $114.89, implying an 11.42% upside.