Exclusive Interview: Juventus Marketing Director Marco Castellaneta on How Juventus Is Conquering the U.S. - On and Off the Pitch.

Roger Hampel

Juventus arrived in the United States with clear ambitions – to win both on and off the pitch. The Bianconeri began their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a convincing 5–0 win over Al-Ain, showing that, on the field, they’re ready to fight for everything. But for Juve this tournament is more than just a battle for a trophy – it’s a key step in a much broader strategic plan.

For several years now, Juventus has been systematically building its presence in the U.S. Youth academies, official fan clubs, appearances at New York Fashion Week, and most recently, a strategic partnership with Visit Detroit – none of it is a coincidence. It’s part of a carefully crafted expansion in a market that blends a growing passion for football with a mature ecosystem of business, fashion, and pop culture.

How that story is unfolding – and what comes next – is revealed in an exclusive interview with Marco Castellaneta, Marketing Director of Juventus FC.

Roger Hampel (Football Business Journal): What role does the American market play in Juventus’ global brand expansion strategy?

Marco Castellaneta (Juventus FC): The American market is one of the primary areas in our internationalization strategy. The United States offers a unique combination of commercial potential, an emerging passion for soccer, and a mature sports ecosystem. For a global Club like Juventus, it’s not just about having a presence, it’s about building relationships, creating value, and becoming part of the American sports culture. Juventus is, of course, a football club, but we’re also a pop culture brand. For years, we’ve told our story through fashion, music and art. In this sense, the US as a trendsetting market and a cultural innovation hub, is naturally aligned with our vision. It’s a dialogue rooted in style, identity, and aspiration.

Roger Hampel: Do you see the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the US as a turning point in strengthening Juventus’ presence in the country?

Marco Castellaneta (Juventus FC): Absolutely. The 2025 Club World Cup in the US is an unprecedented opportunity to amplify our visibility, engage with new fans, and solidify our presence in the region. It’s a global stage, but also a deeply local moment: we want to be protagonists both on and off the field, with targeted activations and authentic storytelling that speak directly to the hearts of American audiences.

“WE ARE JUVENTUS - NORTH AMERICA FANS TOUR”: Del Piero in Houston, Chiellini & Pirlo in NYC and Evra in Miami

Photo Credit: Juventus FC

This tournament can mark a decisive acceleration in our cultural development in the US, confirming the great work carried out throughout the season included three events of the North America Fan Tour, which involved our Academies and Official Fan Clubs, as well as Legends such as Del Piero, Evra, Chiellini and Pirlo in Houston, Miami, and New York. Additionally, there was participation in key events like the New York Fashion Week in collaboration with Le Pere.

The Juventus x le PÉRE New York Fashion Week collaboration | Photo Credit: Juventus FC

Roger Hampel: How do fan events and community meetups help grow local fan engagement and brand awareness? And are there plans to launch similar activations in the future?

Marco Castellaneta: They are essential. As anticipated, these events are not just moments, they are experiences that build emotional connection, foster a sense of belonging, and bring Juventus into people’s everyday lives.

For the 2025 Club World Cup, we’ve planned a traveling fan village that will visit Toronto, Boston, and the three cities where we’ll play, Washington, Philadelphia, and Orlando, to meet our fans on the ground and activate with our partners. We’ll also take part in the Fanatics Fest in New York, a key event for fan engagement and sports retail, and we’ll close our Extreme Fields Tour with its final stop, again in New York.

On top of that, we recently chose Miami to unveil our Away 2025 kit: in partnership with adidas we brought the vibes of the Italian Summer, which inspired the jersey, through an event that merged sport, music, and fashion.

Photo Credit: Juventus FC

We are more than just a football club, and our fans recognize it: We speak to an audience that moves across sport, creativity, and style and the U.S., with its trendsetting power, is the perfect stage for that. And we’re not stopping there: our local activations will continue throughout the entire season. Building a strong connection with American fans requires time, consistency, and a clear, community-centered strategy.

Roger Hampel: In 2025, Juventus will feature the Visit Detroit logo on its front jersey – the first tourism-focused sponsor from the US in the club’s history. How do you plan to leverage this partnership from a marketing perspective in the American market?

Marco Castellaneta: Having Visit Detroit on our jersey is a shared statement of intent. It’s the first time a US tourism brand has partnered with Juventus at this level, and it carries a strong message of renewal, pride, and global ambition. Together, we’ll develop co-branded campaigns, experiential events, and creative content to explore Detroit through the lens of Juventus, and vice versa. This partnership also reflects our identity: we move beyond football, across cities and lifestyles, between sport and urban identity. Detroit with its cultural energy, music heritage and creative spirit is the perfect partner for a project that goes well beyond the pitch.

Roger Hampel: On the pitch, two American players – Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah – feature regularly for Juventus, playing in almost every match. Off the pitch, what kind of impact do they have in terms of fan engagement, merchandise sales, or even business partnerships in the United States?

Marco Castellaneta: McKennie and Weah are ideal ambassadors for Juventus in the US. They are not only top-level athletes, but also embody Juventus’ values. Their presence has a direct impact on audience engagement and strengthens emotional ties with American fans. They’re a key element in building a Juventus brand that feels closer, more recognizable, and more relevant to the North American audience.

Timothy Weah and Weston McKennie featured in the first episode of Talk with US  by Juventus Creator Lab and DAZN — a special edition ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.