Purina and U.S. Soccer launch pet jersey campaign for active dogs

Purina is leaning all the way into soccer-mad household energy with a new national campaign built around the first-ever National Pet Kit, a pet jersey that mirrors the U.S. Men’s National Team kit. The launch, titled For the Team Behind the Team, stars U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Weston McKennie with his dogs, Lola, an 8-year-old Akita, and Sky, a 7-year-old Husky. For hyperenergetic dogs, that part matters more than the merch gloss. Purina is selling a simple idea: if your life already runs on game-day adrenaline, your dog can be part of the action instead of sitting on the sidelines.

The kit is being sold online, at select PetSmart stores, in the Official U.S. Soccer Store and in Purina’s TikTok Shop. Purina says the campaign will run nationally across TV, fan- and pet-centric out-of-home placements, and social content, which tells you this is meant to be bigger than a novelty drop. It is a full consumer push aimed at owners who already treat their dogs like teammates, not accessories. Purina has also said it wants to make U.S. Soccer the most pet-inclusive community in sport, and this is the clearest expression of that pitch yet.

The campaign sits inside a much larger partnership. Purina became U.S. Soccer’s first-ever Official Pet Care Partner in an August 26, 2025 announcement, and the deal runs through 2030. U.S. Soccer tied that relationship to the run-up to the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, a calendar that gives the brand a long runway to keep turning soccer fandom into pet content. On April 27, 2026, Purina’s Beggin' brand was named the Official Dog Treat of U.S. Soccer and launched the Beggin' XI competition to build a roster of dogs. U.S. Soccer has also pushed Pups at the Pitch presented by Purina, a pet-friendly ticket bundle that lets fans watch alongside their dogs in dog-friendly grass berm seating.

That is the marketing layer. The useful layer is simpler and a lot less shiny: active dogs still need real work. A jersey does not tire out a dog, but a backyard agility setup, structured fetch drills, and a game-day routine that includes movement before kickoff absolutely can. McKennie’s own setup, with two big, high-drive dogs and a pro athlete’s schedule, fits the same logic Purina is selling here. The best part of this campaign is not the costume. It is the reminder that high-energy dogs thrive when owners turn fandom into motion, routine and shared work.