Visa’s Debut Art Collection is FIFA-Forward

Miami Art Week is heating up to be the calendar’s ultimate cultural pitch. Ahead of today’s draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Visa is switching up its tournament presence with the launch of its first global art collection inspired by “the beautiful game.”

Teaming up with JOOPITER, the Pharrell Williams-founded digital-first and commerce platform, the project spotlights the vital role that artists and entrepreneurs play in their own communities, channeling that fiery, collective energy into rich designs. With contributions from over 20 artists from around the world, the initiative extends Visa’s “everywhere you want to be” mantra, turning the focus onto artists, athletes and fans to unlock their full creative potential as the football family they want to be.

Poolside at The Goodtime Hotel, Pharrell’s pastel Miami oasis, the debut showcase, The Art of the Draw, introduced the first five artists of the collection, with the rest set to roll out across the tournament’s trio of host nations – the US, Mexico and Canada – as the run-up continues. Early standouts include Nathan Walker and Darien Birks, and Cuban American muralist Ivan J. Roque repping Miami, his hometown. Following the games, each artwork will go under the hammer, courtesy of JOOPITER, with proceeds to benefit charities of the artists’s choosing.

“This felt like a really cool way to take our visual identity to the tournament and let artists use it as a platform to elevate,” explained Jeff Cha, Visa’s Head of Global Brand. “Football is such a world game, and it means something different in every place. Creativity drives commerce. You support communities where the action is and the other things come through.”

To celebrate the launch, Hypeart connected with featured artists Mexico City-based illustrator Cesar Canseco and Vancouver’s Rafael Mayani for a closer look at the inspirations, intentions and emotions that charge their works.

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“Movement isn’t just about depicting action, but designing compositions that pull the viewer through the frame.”

Can you walk us through your designs? To translate the on-the-field spirit into these works, what elements were most important for you to capture?

Rafael Mayani: I focused on movement, dimensionality, and a suspended sense of time. From an art-direction standpoint, movement isn’t just about depicting action, but designing compositions that pull the viewer through the frame. Dimension helped ground the piece in a more cinematic space. The idea of slow motion became the emotional anchor, highlighting the tension and anticipation of what’s to come.

Cesar Canseco: Passion and culture were the most important emotions to portray. Passion appears in the intensity of a player who dominates their sport — the focus, the energy, the tension of that split second that can change the score. Culturally, I wanted to highlight the color, rhythm, and festivity that is so deeply rooted in Mexico. Together, these elements celebrate the loud, vibrant aliveness of the stadium and the spirit that defines the experience on the field.

The upcoming edition is drawing particular buzz in light of the trio of host countries. How did geography, architecture or cultural spirit play out in these pieces?

RM: I approached my pieces through the lens of Canada’s diversity. Rather than focusing solely on location or architecture, I wanted to reflect the range of ethnic backgrounds that make up the Canadian national team and, by extension, the country itself. That diversity became a core narrative thread, and, at the same time, I wanted the work to feel unmistakably rooted in Canada. To do that, I drew from the country’s distinct flora and fauna, using them almost like visual motifs or symbolic textures.

CC: Mexico has a strong identity rooted in its past civilizations, and we draw so much energy from that heritage. We feel almost invincible when we see ourselves reflected in the strength of our symbols. I wanted that sense of ancestry and resilience to be present in the work. Symbols like the jaguar — representing strength, agility, and spiritual guardianship — became a visual anchor throughout the artwork.

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Visa And Joopiter

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“In sports, unity isn’t just about fans coming together — it’s about the harmony between mind and body, and the balance between individual skill and collective effort.”

The tournament itself carries enormous emotional arcs for players and fans alike – anticipation, unity, triumph and rivalry. Which of these themes resonated with you the most and how did you channel them through the work?

CC: The theme that resonates most with me is unity. In sports, unity isn’t just about fans coming together — it’s about the harmony between mind and body, and the balance between individual skill and collective effort. That idea extends beyond the players on the field: it reflects how Mexico comes together in celebration, and how this tournament creates a rare sense of unity among the three host nations. For me, that convergence was essential to channel.

RM: Triumph resonated with me the most. Particularly that heightened moment right before something incredible happens. I wanted to capture that bullet – time anticipation, where everything slows, the tension peaks and you can almost feel a goal or a victory materializing in front of you. Those suspended seconds became the emotional engine of the visual direction.

Unity played an important role, especially in how I approached cultural representation. By highlighting the diverse backgrounds that make up the Canadian team, I wanted the work to reflect the collective strength and shared identity behind those moments of glory.