Stake launches floating football match at 10,000 feet in summer campaign stunt

Online casino and sportsbook Stake has unveiled a promotional stunt featuring what it describes as the first football match played on a pitch suspended in the sky.

In a newly released campaign video, the online casino and sportsbook showcases six extreme sports content creators competing in a small-sided match on a synthetic pitch lifted above the clouds by a hot air balloon. The match took place at an altitude of around 10,000 feet before participants parachuted from the floating platform.

The creators involved include Nathan Roque, Alessio Papia, Nicolo Contrada, Yasmin Xavier, Sara Vidal, and Carol Chafauzer. 

According to Stake, the floating pitch measured 12m x 20m and weighed approximately 3,000kg, and was carried during a 60-minute hot air balloon flight.

The activation forms part of Stake’s broader push into entertainment-led sports marketing, aligned with its global brand platform “It’s All At Stake,” launched ahead of the summer’s major football tournament.

Jarrod Febbraio, Director at Stake, said: "This summer sees one of the biggest cultural moments on the planet and simply showing up is no longer enough. Our ambition is to create campaigns that genuinely capture people's attention, spark conversation and give fans something they haven't seen before.

"At Stake, we are always looking for ways to push creative boundaries and challenge expectations around sports marketing. Whether it's our It's All At Stake campaign or staging a football match thousands of feet in the air, the objective is the same - creating entertainment that resonates with audiences and delivers memorable experiences around the moments they care most about."

The floating pitch stunt is part of the ongoing “It’s All At Stake” campaign, distributed across YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). The campaign has generated more than 200 million views across earned and social channels in its first week, according to Stake.