In May, Xiaohongshu made a move nobody expected. The lifestyle app, also called RedNote or Little Red Book, spent close to 10 billion RMB, about 1.4 billion USD, on streaming rights for all 104 matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in China. The deal was reported and analysed at length by Huxiu.
This is not a scoop anymore. The tournament is over. But the question for brands is still open: what did this deal change? I think it changed more than most marketers noticed.
The numbers behind the bet
- About 1.4 billion USD (10 billion RMB) for the rights to the 104 matches, according to Chinese media.
- 400 million monthly active users.
- 170 million daily active users, with a stated goal of 200 million before an IPO, as Huxiu reported in a second piece.
- Brand partnerships opened around live match streams.
- A new audience: men aged 25 to 40, a group Xiaohongshu has always struggled to attract.
Why a women’s lifestyle app bought football
For ten years, Xiaohongshu was the app of young urban women. Beauty, fashion, travel, food. We built a lot of our client work on that audience, and it still performs.
But investors look at daily users, not at brand love. To go public with a strong valuation, Xiaohongshu needs to move from 170 million to 200 million daily users. You do not find 30 million new daily users among women who already use the app. You find them among men. And in China, nothing pulls men aged 25 to 40 onto a screen like the World Cup.
So the football rights are a user acquisition campaign with an IPO story attached. Expensive, yes. But cheaper than years of ads trying to convince men that a “notes” app is for them.
What it changed for brands
Here is what I saw with our clients over the summer.
1. Male categories became viable on Xiaohongshu. Watches, sportswear, beer, cars, grooming, outdoor gear. Before, we would push these brands to Douyin or Hupu first. Now a Swiss watch brand we advise tests Xiaohongshu notes with male-oriented content, and the engagement is there. Not huge yet, but real.
2. Live events became a format on the app. Xiaohongshu was about search and notes. The match streams trained users to watch live on the platform. That opens the door to live commerce and branded live content that goes beyond beauty tutorials.
3. The ad inventory got more expensive around big moments. Brand partnerships on live matches were sold as premium. That was the test. Expect the same model for future sports and entertainment events.
4. Search behaviour stays the core. Do not forget why people use Xiaohongshu. They search before they buy. A man who watched a match on the app will later search “best running shoes under 1,000 RMB” there. Your notes must be ready for that search.
My position
I think the bet is smart for Xiaohongshu and good for foreign brands. It makes the platform less niche. For a brand with a limited China budget, one app that reaches both women and men, with strong search intent, is a gift.
The risk: Xiaohongshu loses what made it special. The trust in “real notes from real people” is its value. If the feed fills with sports hype and paid placements, that trust drops. Brands should keep playing the authentic game: KOC (key opinion consumer) reviews, honest comparisons, useful content.
How to act on it
- Check your audience data. If your buyers include men 25-40, test Xiaohongshu now, before competitors do.
- Build search content. 20 to 30 well-optimised notes on your core keywords beat one expensive campaign.
- Plan around big events. Sports, festivals, shopping seasons. Prepare content a month before, not the day before.
- Watch the IPO. A listed Xiaohongshu will push ad revenue harder. Organic reach will likely get tighter. Build your base now.
New to the platform? Start with our Little Red Book explainer, then read our Xiaohongshu marketing strategy for 2026. For background on the tournament itself, see the official FIFA World Cup 2026 page.
At GMA, our Shanghai team runs Xiaohongshu accounts, KOC campaigns and search content for foreign brands. If you want to know whether the new male audience fits your product, ask us.
Question for you
Can Xiaohongshu become a real app for men without losing the trust that made it strong with women? Or will the IPO pressure turn it into just another ad platform? Tell me what you think.
