EE launches “Yes Boys” campaign to help build young boys up on and off the pitch

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.