On Location Unveils Star-Studded Roster for "Starting 16" FIFA World Cup 2026™ Hospitality Captain Program
Rhea-AI Summary
On Location (NYSE:TKO) unveiled the "Starting 16" Captain program for FIFA World Cup 2026™ hospitality on Dec 11, 2025, naming celebrity Captains to represent each host city.
Notable Captains include Carmelo Anthony (New York/New Jersey), Sergio Agüero (Miami), Megan Rapinoe (Seattle), Rob Lowe (Los Angeles), and Ciara (Atlanta). Captains will appear at select events and on social media to promote On Location hospitality packages and local city experiences.
Media assets and biographies for each Captain are available upon request.
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News Market Reaction 1 Alert
On the day this news was published, TKO gained 3.74%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
TKO’s pre-news move of -0.09% contrasted with mostly positive moves in peers like WMG (+1.3%) and FOXA (+2.14%), while ROKU was down 0.59%, suggesting stock-specific dynamics rather than a broad sector trend.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 04 | Dividend declaration | Positive | +3.1% | Announced roughly $150M quarterly cash dividend and $0.78 per share payout. |
| Nov 20 | Commercial partnership | Positive | -6.3% | DoorDash multi-platform partnership across WWE and UFC for fan experiences. |
| Nov 14 | AI product launch | Positive | +0.8% | IBM and UFC launched AI-driven In-Fight Insights for live UFC broadcasts. |
| Nov 14 | Conference participation | Neutral | +0.8% | TKO executive scheduled to speak at UBS Global Media & Communications Conference. |
| Nov 13 | Sports partnership | Positive | +0.5% | Multi-year Polymarket deal as Official Prediction Market Partner of UFC and Zuffa Boxing. |
News tied to partnerships and corporate actions has usually seen modestly positive price reactions, with one notable divergence on a DoorDash partnership headline.
Over the last month, TKO has reported a mix of corporate and strategic updates. A Q3 2025 10‑Q on Nov 5 showed lower revenue but stronger profitability. Multiple partnership announcements, including DoorDash and Polymarket, highlighted efforts to expand fan engagement and commercial integrations. A large Q4 2025 dividend of about $150 million was declared on Dec 4. Today’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ hospitality news continues that theme of monetizing premium live-event experiences.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights On Location’s FIFA World Cup 2026™ "Starting 16" hospitality captain program, underscoring the importance of premium experiences around major global events. For TKO, whose Q3 2025 results emphasized live events and hospitality, the news complements a broader strategy of monetizing fan engagement. Investors may track future disclosures on financial contributions from such initiatives and compare them with recent partnership deals and dividend actions.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Each host city to be represented by celebrity personalities from across sports and entertainment to bring fans closer than ever to FIFA World Cup 2026™
The Starting 16 Captains will each represent a FIFA World Cup 2026™ Host City, showcasing the extraordinary access and world-class experiences that On Location offers fans. Each Captain will serve as the face of On Location in their respective cities at select events and on social media representing FIFA World Cup 2026™ hospitality packages and helping bring the local flair of each city to life for traveling fans from around the world.
Below is the full list of Captains and their respective host cities.
Atlanta – Ciara (Multi Platinum GRAMMY - winning global superstar)- Boston – Julian Edelman (Three-Time Super Bowl Champion with the New England Patriots)
Dallas – Tiffany Derry (Celebrity Chef & Entrepreneur)Guadalajara – To Be Announced- Houston – Stu Holden (FOX Sports Lead Match Analyst & Former US Men's National Team World Cup member)
Kansas City – Gracie Hunt (Philanthropist, Sports Enthusiast, Entrepreneur, and Media Professional)Los Angeles – Rob Lowe (Award-Winning Actor and Producer)Mexico City – Miguel Layún (Former Mexico Men's National Team Player)- Miami – Sergio Agüero (Football Legend, Former Argentina National Team Player and Olympic Gold Medalist)
- Monterrey – Ana Casanova (Celebrity Chef & Content Creator)
New York / New Jersey – Carmelo Anthony (Hall of Famer, 10-time NBA All Star, 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist, On-Air Analyst, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist)Philadelphia – Brian Kelly (Founder of "The Points Guy")- San Francisco – Kristin Juszczyk (Fashion Designer, Founder of Off Season)
- Seattle – Megan Rapinoe (Two-Time FIFA Women's World Cup Winner)
Toronto – Susur Lee (Celebrity Chef, Owner of LEE Restaurant)- Vancouver – Cobie Smulders (Actress and Producer)
The Starting 16 Captains come together as excitement around the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026™ intensifies and demand for On Location's hospitality packages will increase after the final match schedule was announced over the weekend.
"On Location is thrilled to partner with our Starting 16 roster of athletes, hospitality experts and creators to elevate our premium hospitality experiences for FIFA World Cup 2026," said Paul Caine, President of On Location. "Each of these captains has a unique love for sports and entertainment that will bring fans closer than ever to the beautiful game and the local flair of each host city leading up to and throughout the tournament."
Hear what each of the Captains had to say about joining the Starting 16 here on the official FIFA Hospitality Instagram page.
The Starting 16 Captains announcement also follows a two-week activation, "The Treatment", by On Location to elevate a local pick-up game across six different host cities into a premium hospitality experience and give fans a taste of what's to come across its various hospitality spaces at FIFA World Cup 2026™. The Treatment also debuted five of the Starting 16 Captains – Ciara, Miguel Layún, Rob Lowe, Sergio Agüero, and Tiffany Derry – who led the match ceremonies and showcased the various elements of local flair incorporated at the event.
On Location is the official hospitality partner to more than 150 rights partners, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Football League (NFL), FIFA, the NCAA, UFC, WWE, and more, providing premium ticket-inclusive experiences to the world's major events like the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup 2026™, WrestleMania, NCAA Championships, and more.
Media Assets: Biographies and headshots for each Captain and additional information regarding FIFA World Cup 2026 ™ Hospitality packages and programming are available upon request.
To follow along, follow On Location and FIFA Hospitality on Instagram.
About On Location
On Location is a global leader in premium experiential hospitality, offering ticketing, curated guest experiences, live event production and travel management across sports, entertainment, fashion and culture. On Location provides unrivaled access for corporate clients and fans looking for official, immersive experiences at marquee events, including the Olympic and Paralympic Games, FIFA World Cup 2026™, Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, and more. An official partner and/or service provider to over 150 iconic rights holders, such as the IOC (Milano Cortina 2026, LA 2028), FIFA, NFL, NCAA, UFC and PGA of America, and numerous musical artists and festivals, the company also owns and operates a number of its own unique experiences. On Location is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and sports entertainment company.
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SOURCE On Location
FAQ
What did On Location announce about FIFA World Cup 2026 hospitality on Dec 11, 2025 (TKO)?
Which host city will Carmelo Anthony represent for On Location's Starting 16 (TKO)?
Who are some headline Captains named by On Location for FIFA World Cup 2026 hospitality (TKO)?
How will On Location use the Starting 16 Captains to promote hospitality packages (TKO)?
Are biographies and media assets for the Starting 16 Captains available for investors or press (TKO)?
Did On Location stage any activations tied to the Starting 16 announcement ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 (TKO)?
