Junk food ads flooded 2026 World Cup matches — Report

World Cup trophy and Trionda, the AI powered official football of the 2026 World Cup

Football fans were exposed to tens of thousands of advertisements for junk food and drinks during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a study by researchers from the universities of Bristol and Oxford.

As reported by BBC Sport on Monday, using an artificial intelligence tool, the researchers analysed advertisements visible to television viewers during live play across all 104 matches of the tournament, which was hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The study recorded 65,722 appearances of logos and products from brands classified under UK government criteria as being high in fat, salt or sugar.

The advertisements were visible for a combined 28.1 hours during matches, accounting for just over 16% of total playing time.

Researchers estimated that an average of 576 junk food and drink advertisements appeared during each match.

Coca-Cola had the highest number of appearances, with 21,893, followed by McDonald’s with 13,915. Powerade recorded 12,777 appearances, while Lay’s appeared 12,087 times.

All four brands are official FIFA partners, while Powerade is owned by Coca-Cola.

The researchers also compared junk food advertising with other forms of potentially harmful advertising.

They found that junk food and drink logos appeared about seven times more often than alcohol and prediction-market brands, 10 times more often than gambling brands and almost 25 times more often than cryptocurrency brands.

“The advertisements were shown on the international broadcast feed during live play, meaning they were visible to viewers watching matches in countries around the world.

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The analysis did not include advertisements shown during pre-match programmes, half-time breaks or hydration breaks,” the report added.

The findings have renewed questions about the reach of food advertising at major international sporting events.

Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, described the situation as a loophole in existing advertising restrictions.

He said governments were increasingly taking action to limit junk food advertising because of concerns about obesity.

In the UK, restrictions introduced in October 2025 prohibit television advertising for certain less-healthy foods before 9pm.

However, the rules do not cover international pitchside advertising displayed at sporting events.

The researchers argue that repeatedly associating unhealthy food and drink brands with football, excitement and national identity could make the brands more familiar and contribute to the normalisation of their consumption.

FIFA defended its approach, saying its global partners are subject to governance and compliance frameworks.

The organisation also highlighted its social-impact campaigns, including Be Active, which it said promoted health, inclusion, friendship and unity during the tournament.
Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and PepsiCo, which owns Lay’s, were contacted for comment but did not respond.