Exclusive First Look: Don Julio Sails Into FIFA World Cup With ‘Port Of Champions’ Yacht & Limited-Edition Tequila
The tequila brand toasts “the beautiful game” with a luxe new bottle and a partnership with World Cup champion Thierry Henry.
The most massive moments in sport lend themselves to a “go big or go home” mantra, and Don Julio is poised to deliver on that promise with the jaw-dropping “Port of Champions” yacht and a new limited-edition tequila drop celebrating this summer’s mega-hyped FIFA World Cup.
The luxury tequila maker is bringing the World Cup to New York City in entirely new fashion, plotting a week-long July takeover of Chelsea Piers in the Big Apple, Maxim can exclusively reveal. Led by the glamorous Port of Champions yacht, the luxury vessel boasts all the trappings befitting an exceptional tequila, from a speakeasy tasting room to a cocktail and game watch room. The yacht also boasts its own beach club and Sky Bridge area, all decked out in World Cup gold fixtures and detailing.
The heritage tequila company is partnering with the likes of TAO Group, Yes Chef and Noble 33 on dining and hospitality on the invite-only, taste making experience. Perhaps most appealing for lucky attendees is the chance to experience Don Julio tequila during exclusive tastings in the yacht’s hidden speakeasy.
There’s perhaps no one better to step into the spotlight with Don Julio than legendary striker and 1998 World Cup champion Thierry Henry, who partnered with the luxe tequila maker on its “Made to Be Raised” campaign directed by Leigh Powis in celebration of the tournament. The magnitude of the occasion isn’t lost on the French soccer champion, he told Maxim, more than two decades after France beat defending champion Brazil 3-0 in the final. The acclaimed striker was the top scorer for France across the 1998 tournament at just 20-years-old, transferring to Juventus the next year and later, to the red-and-white kit of Arsenal when not leading the way for the French national team.
“Raising a trophy is one of the most meaningful moments in sports because it represents everything that came before it, including the hard work, the setbacks, and the journey it took to get there,” Henry said. “When I think about lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy in 1998 in front of our home fans in France, I remember the pride and emotion of that moment.”
Don Julio has an ambitious outlook on the activation, noting it looks to transform “Chelsea Piers into the most talked-about destination in the city.” The Port of Champions Yacht will notably be docked on Manhattan’s West Side through the tournament finale on July 19th.
As the New York City region gears up to host the FIFA World Cup, the company also debuted its Tequila Don Julio 1942 FIFA World Cup 2026 Edition. The ultra-premium bottle is inspired by the official trophy of the Cup, featuring a malachite closure and luminous gold casing befitting a champion (and a delectable tequila).
Within the decanter rests classic Don Julio 100% Blue Weber agave Añejo spirit, with what the company calls an “exceptionally smooth finish” bolstered by notes of agave and vanilla. The offering also comes in a smaller 50mL decanter, all the better to sample and share in smaller batches, the tequila producer notes.
Henry, who will make an appearance on the Port of Champions yacht next month, also looks forward to reconnecting with the global soccer community in real life, he told Maxim, noting that “the FIFA World Cup has a unique way of bringing people together through shared moments of celebration.”
The high-end, supremely alluring yacht, according to Henry, should “match the energy and excitement of the final.” Soccer enthusiasts and tequila fans alike should keep a weather eye out for the Port of Champions yacht and an exclusive bottle of Don Julio Añejo, a sporting and spirits match practically made in heaven.