EE Encourages Young Boys Ahead Of The World Cup

EE, the UK’s best network, has today launched Yes Boys, a new integrated campaign , ahead of the summer tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico kicking off on 11th June 2026. 

As the lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations, and a leader in digital safety, EE’s latest campaign, Yes Boys, celebrates football communities as a powerfully positive tool against harmful online influences, with EE equipping parents, coaches and young people with the skills to navigate the pressures of growing up online.

It follows research carried out by EE in partnership with Professor Ben Hine that found 42% of boys aged 11-16 come across content telling them “men shouldn’t show emotions” or “boys need to toughen up” at least a few times a week. Football can help counteract this negativity however, with 65% of parents saying the sport has had a positive impact on their son’s confidence and identity, and 71% arguing a coach has equal or greater influence over their son's sense of masculinity than the content he sees online.   

Real action sits at the heart of the campaign, and with the research showing 85% saying they’d use a free resource that gave them real scripts and advice, EE has partnered with online safety experts Internet Matters to create an invaluable free online learning hub: The Mentor-Badge. Made with support of the Home Nations’ Football Associations, the Mentor-Badge is a free, online resource that features video, written content and practical guidance for coaches to support boys growing up online, helping them to engage with positive, grounded models of masculinity, and directly tackle the negative, damaging impact of the manosphere. Serving as a commitment to help future generations, the Mentor-Badge will be hosted on EE’s website and promoted by the Home Nations to maximise spread and impact, continuing an important, cultural campaign, and doing more for young people in the UK. 

The above the line creative by Saatchi & Saatchi leads with a 60s film set to Underworld’s 90s classic, ‘Born Slippy’. Placing the toxic effects of the manosphere front and centre, EE’s film contrasts the pull of harmful online influences with the positive role football communities can play on and off the pitch alongside a unifying rallying cry of “Yes Boys!”

AV is supported by an OOH campaign born out of football culture: tifos. Made for the fans, by the fans, and created using real supporter imagery to stay true to the traditions of football culture. The tifos have been designed in partnership with sports illustrator Daryl Rainbow, best known for his colourful, insightful work centred on football and youth culture for Adidas and Arsenal. The bright, energetic illustrations feature both fans and players, and alongside the tifos, are displayed across reactive, OOH billboards and social media, bringing authenticity to digital and traditional placements. 

Digitas extended the campaign to messages 'From The Boys' letting young ambassadors tell their stories through always‑on channels designed to engage parents and football communities. Hosted by credible role models, the channel delivers real stories, and practical guidance directly to audiences, creating a trusted, peer-led space that reinforces confidence and positive behaviours in young men, while helping coaches and parents actively counter harmful online influences. By connecting through WhatsApp, EE and Digitas are pioneering the platform in a way that feels trusted and human - taking the conversation directly into the spaces where negative influences can take hold. Instead of simply telling people football is good for teens, it helps them experience the community, keeping young fans and their parents involved. 

Alongside this, EE is extending the campaign through partnerships and community platforms, led by WPP Sports & Ents, that bring this thinking to life in different ways - including working with organisations like Versus to spark intergenerational conversations around masculinity, and developing community-first spaces such as the LADbible Portal to engage fans and connect them directly to the tournament.

EE is further bringing the “Yes Boys” campaign to life through their in-house agency The Exchange, creating an array of dynamic, social‑first content designed to connect with fans and families in the moments that matter most. From on‑the‑ground storytelling in the US to capturing fan culture across England and Scotland, the campaign blends high‑energy matchday content with more intimate conversations around pressure, confidence and support. Through real stories EE highlights the importance of backing young boys on and off the pitch. Supported by initiatives like the Mentor‑Badge, the campaign reinforces a simple message: showing up with support, online and in life, can make a lasting difference.

Pitch Marketing Group is leading the earned PR strategy for the campaign, partnering with Professor Ben Hine and commissioning original consumer research to surface the pressures and issues facing boys in 2026. Media interviews with former England star Theo Walcott and youth coach and content creator Josh Paul will bring the findings to life and further amplify the 'Yes Boys' messaging. 

As EE’s partnerships agency, Havas Play has consulted across all aspects of the Yes Boys campaign, providing strategic guidance, facilitating partnership rights and optimising the campaign for a football audience, including all player and Legend talent inclusions. 

Kelly Engstrom, Brand and Marketing Communications Director at EE, commented: “As the UK’s best network for families, and the lead sponsor of the Home Nations Football Associations, we are uniquely placed to champion young boys and help build them up, on and off the pitch. We know that growing up in an online world is hard for young people, with boys facing unique challenges. Following our 2025 ‘Everyone Needs a Squad’ campaign, which championed the Lionesses and young girls, we are proud to highlight the vital role football plays in tackling negative online influences and building boys’ confidence and resilience through the launch of ‘Yes Boys’. It is the latest step in our ongoing commitment to supporting young people and their families navigate the online world safely and with positivity.”

Ben Mooge, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe UK, said: “EE is committed to supporting the generation growing up in an online world, and this work is all about imbuing their sponsorship with meaning that really resonates. Football is so much bigger than the game itself, it lives and breathes in culture and communities. It has the unique power to nurture and unite young people on and off the pitch, and that’s what we wanted to celebrate - and what better stage to do that on that football’s biggest and brightest.”

Rebecca Marshall, Client President, Open Connect at WPP Media, said: “EE has created a campaign that genuinely earns its place in culture during the tournament, celebrating the energy of the game in real time through reactive OOH and social, while also building a platform for positive community. By combining scale with partnerships like Versus, which spark intergenerational conversations and empower young boys, and community-first ideas such as the LADbible Portal, it connects real-time celebration with credible, accessible support for boys, parents and coaches.” 

As the lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations, the fully integrated campaign will run throughout the tournament, spanning AV, OOH, DOOH, audio, social, online video, VOD, cinema, partnerships, customer activation and retail, and has been creatively crafted by a cross-agency team from Publicis Groupe, including Saatchi & Saatchi and Digitas, alongside media planning and buying by OpenConnect at WPP Media and OOH agency Posterscope. Pitch PR have commissioned research for the campaign and PR activity, while Havas Play has led on all sponsorship consultancy across all aspects of the campaign.

Launching from 25 May, and continuing throughout the tournament, the campaign will run across social, OOH and audio, followed by TV, BVOD, SVOD, and YouTube from 1 June. Online resources including the Mentor-Badge will continue beyond the tournament. 

Yes Boys is part of EE’s ongoing mission to use the power of connection for good, especially for young people as growing up with phones gets harder. This latest initiative builds on EE’s broader commitment to supporting young people’s wellbeing. Last year, EE launched Safer SIMs - under 18s smartphone plans designed around different levels of independence - and online safety appointments, available in all EE stores nationwide. Alongside this, EE’s PhoneSmart platform equips both teens and parents with the tools and knowledge to stay safe and confident online.

Credits:

EE

Brand & Communications Director: Kelly Engstrom

Head of Brand Advertising: Jules Wilkin

Brand Campaign Manager: Simon Reynolds

Media Manager: Laura Stone

Sponsorship Manager: Gary Bansor

Sponsorship Manager: Olivia Worth

Saatchi & Saatchi

Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Groupe UK: Ben Mooge

Executive Creative Director: William John

Associate Creative Directors: George Coyle, Sam Simmonds, Josh Steele

Head of Integrated Production: Rachel Solomon

Associate Executive Producer: Rosie Nolan

Junior Producer: Josh Clark, Jessica Watkins Homeyard

Managing Partner: Eilidh McGregor

Business Lead: Dyfed Thomas

Account Manager: Ciara McCarthy

Head of Strategy: Will Moore

Senior Planner: Bridget Moyle

Digitas

Executive Creative Director - Ben Clapp 

Senior Art Director - Tom Charter 

Senior Copywriter - Ivo Lazarov

Senior Designer - Tim Vukcevic 

Designer - Sarah Goodman 

Senior UX Designer - Dilesh Lalloo 

Experience Director - Jason Michael

Senior Project Manager - Cat Penn

Business Partner - Jess Brennan 

Business Director - Sean McKenna 

Strategy Partner - David Hofmeyr 

Strategy Director - Harry Bunnell 

Account Director - Emma Lycett

Senior Account Manager - Leslie Boateng

Senior Account Manager - Jessica Muhl

Proteus team - Web Build

Partnerships & Activations Agency: Havas Play

Managing Partner: Tom D’Arcy

Business Director: Jessica Ramsey

Senior Account Director: Louise Burns

Account Director: Elliott Dillon

Senior Account Manager: Tara Stuff

Account Manager: Emma Treasure

Account Executive: Daniel Osinoiki

Creative Studio (Design & Artwork): Publicis Production

Head of Design: James Crickmore 

Lead Designer: Simon Hadassi

Senior Designer: James Goodwin Davies 

Designer: Conor MacLeay

Senior Designer: Shona Macleod 

Lead Motion Designer: Marco Balducci

Senior Motion Designer: Blake Hart-Wilson

Senior Creative Artworker: Dean Vuckovic

Senior Creative Artworker: Darren Rolfe

Senior Creative Artworker: Katie Luong 

Project Manager: Adrian Reilly

Project Manager: Jessica Hall

Pitch PR:  

Executive Creative Director: Lee Price

Head of PR: Deborah Villiers  

Account Director: Brandon Tourle  

Senior Account Manager: Harry Gibson   

Senior Account Manager: Katie Williams  

Media Agency: OpenConnect, WPP Media 

Client President: Rebecca Marshall

Chief Strategy Officer: David Wilding 

Head of Planning & Strategy Open Connect: Anna Martorana 

EE Client Lead: Meghan Weatherill 

Media Planning Business Director: Dima Marotti

Media Planning Manager: Sami Khawaja 

Posterscope

Rowan Gillette-Fussell - Posterscope, senior planning & buying executive 

Tom Murrihy - Posterscope, Planning & Buying Director

Dan Bayford - Posterscope, OOH Partner

Production Company: Object & Animal 

Directors: Hugh Mulhern & Aria Shahrokhshahi

Executive Producer: Dom Thomas 

Executive Producer: Laura Hegarty
Producer: Malachy Mcanenny 

Production Manager: Ele Baldwin

Production Assistant: Hannah Lockwood & Harriet Salmon

O&A Runner: Loui Underwood
DOP: Jaime Ackroyd & Kai Blamey 

Additional Photography: (DOP Thomas Tuchel shoot): Jack Exton

Service Production Company: Sugar Free TV

Exec. Service Producer: Michelle O’Brien 

Local Producer: Eleanor Stonehouse 

Local Production: Glyn Davidson

Production Assistant: Jill Milne 

Cast Coordinator: Craig Bruce

Production Runner: Adam Lloyd -Jones

Location Manager : Joe Wearing

1st AD: George Nelson & Rob Butter   

2nd AD: Catherine Kinson

Focus Puller: Trevor Henen & Jon Scaife

Camera Assistant: Charlie Bradlaugh & Molly Kay Cowell

Playback Operator: Ben Hawkes & Duncan Lees

Sound Recordist: Matthew Groark & Robbie Johnson

Camera Van Driver: Aidan Dyson and James Saxelby 

Key Grip: Marc Sheriff

2nd Grip: Tom Graham

Assistant Grip: Kane Hardy

DIT: Chris Battensby

VFX Supervisor: Pete Smith

Gaffer: Danny Griffiths & Joe Macdonald

Electrician: Jack Buxton, Jack Skipper, Wes Smith

Rigger: Paul Mackinson

Production Designer: Sasha Hilton

Prop Master: Sullivan Cayless

Props: Ren Cavalloro, David Hayden, Billy Sellers, Scott Thomas, William Toss

Stylist: Susie Coulthard

Wardrobe Assistant: Denis Bushell & Liz Johnson

Makeup Artist: Alice Dodds

Hairdresser: Beth Robson

HMU Assistant:  Abigail Turner & Ellen Moore

Casting: Martin Gibbons Casting

Player Days:
Gaffer: Sam Alberg
Gaffer: Ross Grainger

1st AC: Barney Batchelor, Theo Berman, Chris Starkey

2nd AC: Jack Ainsworth, Bruce Carmichael, Tom Watson

Spark: Alistair Bury, Chris Stones, Ollie Poole, Simon Kelly

Sound: Richard Entezari & Dougie Fairgrieve

Playback: Sergio Mangas

Camera Car Driver: Paul Thompson

Edit House: The Assembly Rooms

Edited by: Sam Rice Edwards &  Jack Foster

Edit Assistant; Bruna Mandredi

Edit Producer/Head of Production: Phoebe Armstrong-Beaver 

Sound House: Factory

Creative Director (Audio) - Anthony Moore 

Sound Designer - James Utting 

Audio Producer - Max Doran-Bown 

Music: Wake The Town

Music Supervisor: Maiken Silverup

VFX: Time Based Arts

2D Lead: Leo Weston

Shoot Supervisor: Pete Smith  

2D Assist: Frankie Foster

2D Assist: Ross Ferguson  

2D Assist: Andre Bittencourt 

2D Assist: Danny Peoples 

2D Assist: Jasmine Cooper 

Designer: Stephen Ross

Senior Producer: Matt Squires 

Colour: Pundersons Garden

Colourist: John O'Riordan 

Asst: Alex Cameron 

Colour Producer: Grace Conway 

Colour House: Pundersons Gardens 

CG Post Production: ELMNTL @elmntl.studio

CG & AI Lead: Phil Roberts @raidzer0

Exec Producer: Greg White @roux_greg

Producer: Katie Gillard @gillardkatie

Mentor-Badge: 

Production Company: Exell Film
Directors: Luke Exell & Josh Exell 

Producer: Nordie Childs

Producer: Ben Jones 

DOP: Morgan Sinclair 

2nd Camera: Rhys Obasi 

AC: Rushil Choudhary 

Gaffer: Al Rice 

Sound Op: Jermaine Monero 

Sound Op: Will Landgale 

Cam/ Lighting Assist: Callan Matthews 

Autocue Op: Anthony Jordan 

AD/ Production: Toby Davies 

Production Assistant: Jasmin Ellmer

Art Department: Dilys Childs 

POST

Editor: Joe Walmsey

Edit Assist: Finn O’Hara

VFX: Rhys Obasi 

VFX / Cleanup: Jordan Coffey

Colour: Felipe Szulc (Colour by Fawn) 

Colour: Producer Dan Hills (Colour by Fawn)

Sound Mix & Master: Rob Ackerman