Betnacional and Brazilian fan group Movimento Verde Amarelo (MVA) brought a fan rally to Times Square on June 12, the day before Brazil’s opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The event ran from the 5th & Madison area through to Times Square, with the main gathering held in front of the Pelé Store. MVA, which describes itself as an organised supporters’ group for the Brazilian national team, said more than 8,000 people attended, a figure provided by the organisers rather than an independent count. A pre-event estimate published by iGaming Brazil had put expected turnout at 3,000 to 5,000.
Betnacional and MVA transported over two tons of fan materials for the activation, including a large flag and the Bonecos de Olinda, oversized puppet figures depicting forward Vinícius Júnior and broadcaster Galvão Bueno that were flown in from Pernambuco. Times Square’s digital billboards displayed interactive messages tied to the event, and early arrivals received branded t-shirts.
Brand activation builds on Betnacional’s existing marketing footprint
The rally is the latest in a series of high-visibility sponsorship plays by Betnacional, which has built its marketing around Brazilian football and entertainment properties including Big Brother Brasil and Sport Club Recife, where it holds the club’s master shirt sponsorship. Galvão Bueno and Vinícius Júnior are both contracted brand ambassadors for the operator.
Betnacional is operated by NSX Brasil, in which Flutter Entertainment acquired an initial 56% stake for approximately $350m in a deal that closed in 2025. At the time of the acquisition, Flutter said NSX held the No. 4 market position among Brazilian operators, with standalone 2024 revenue of around $256m and Adjusted EBITDA of approximately $34m.
Luiz Vasco, founder of MVA, said the New York rally represented a new scale of activity for the group.
“It was a historic party to give even more fuel to the search for hexa. We managed to gather 8 thousand fans in the heart of the United States and took over the streets of New York in green and yellow. It is a milestone for the MVA and for Brazilian fans at the 2026 World Cup. Betnacional played a fundamental role in this trajectory and helped us take our actions to a scale that previously seemed unimaginable.”
Jorge Peixoto, Head of Brand Experience at Betnacional, framed the event as part of the operator’s broader US push during the tournament.
“Looking at Times Square and seeing that sea of green and yellow was moving. What happened today was much bigger than a flag. We bring a piece of Brazil to the heart of New York. We bring the energy of our fans, our music, our symbols and our culture. For a few hours, Times Square spoke Portuguese.”
Part of a wider US schedule through the tournament
Brazil went on to draw 1-1 with Morocco on June 13, with Vinícius Júnior scoring the equaliser in the 32nd minute after Morocco’s Ismael Saibari had given the Atlas Lions an early lead. The match drew 80,663 spectators to MetLife Stadium, the venue scheduled to host the World Cup final next month.
Betnacional and MVA said the Times Square rally marks the start of a joint programme of fan activations the two organisations plan to run across the United States for the remainder of the tournament, as Brazil’s group stage continues with matches against Haiti in Philadelphia and Scotland in Miami Gardens.
Source: Betnacional
