To make the FIFA World Cup 2026 even more exciting, WhatsApp has introduced new features for its users. Targeted at football fans, these innovative updates include a new calling effect, a revamped theme, and an easy-to-use system for finding World Cup-related channels.
Throughout the World Cup, football enthusiasts will be able to use special football-themed effects and stickers in their chats and calls. Additionally, WhatsApp has enhanced its in-app channel feature to be more organized. To help fans stay connected with the tournament in real time, a dedicated “custom directory” for football channels has been added.
Through this new directory, users can easily access their favorite teams, match schedules, and live results all in one place. To further enrich the football atmosphere, WhatsApp has also updated the football emoji within the app. Instead of the traditional football emoji, users will now see the official match ball of this year’s World Cup, the “Tronda,” when sending football-related emojis.
Moreover, football channels can post their updates and analyses directly to WhatsApp “Status.” For live updates on every moment of the competition, users can also utilize the “Meta AI” feature available within WhatsApp. Meta AI provides instant information on the latest standings, player details, and the best nearby venues to watch matches. WhatsApp usage tends to be especially high in regions where football is popular.
