Fans Exposed to Over 65,000 Junk Food Ads During World Cup Matches, Study Finds

Football fans were exposed to a "constant bombardment" of advertisements for junk food and drinks during the 2026 Fifa World Cup, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Bristol and the University of Oxford.

The study employed an artificial intelligence tool to analyze advertisements visible to television viewers during live match play. These ads, primarily displayed on pitchside boards and around stadiums in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, promoted logos and products for brands classified as high in fat, salt, or sugar by the UK government.

In total, these unhealthy food and drink advertisements appeared 65,722 times. They were visible for a cumulative 28.1 hours, representing just over 16% of the total match playing time. The analysis focused on ads shown on the international feed during play, excluding pre-match coverage, half-time breaks, and hydration intervals.

The AI model estimated that an average of 576 junk food and drink advertisements were visible during each match. Among the most frequently advertised brands were Coca-Cola (21,893 instances), McDonald's (13,915), Powerade (12,777), and Lay's (12,087). Coca-Cola owns the Powerade brand, and Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and PepsiCo (owner of Lay's) are all official partners of Fifa.

Fifa responded to the findings by stating that the majority of its revenue is reinvested into football development and health and wellbeing projects. A spokesperson noted that Fifa collaborates with a global portfolio of partners, all adhering to its governance frameworks, and highlighted social impact campaigns like "Be Active" that promoted messages of unity, inclusion, health, and friendship.

This study emerges as concerns grow over the marketing of unhealthy products, particularly in light of existing regulations in some countries. For instance, the UK has banned junk food advertising on television before 9 p.m. since October 2025. However, the study highlights that World Cup advertisements displayed on hoardings at an international event fall outside such national legislation, creating a potential loophole.

Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, described the situation as a "loophole," emphasizing the global nature of obesity as a problem requiring worldwide collaboration. He drew parallels between current advertising practices and those of the tobacco industry before advertising bans were implemented, noting that such marketing often targets children to expand future markets.

These findings coincide with efforts by governments to combat rising obesity rates. The UK government recently updated school dinner regulations to ban deep-fried foods and increase the inclusion of healthier options, aiming to address childhood obesity. Data from the NHS in 2024 indicated that 15% of children in the UK were obese and 26% were overweight.

"We are facing a global crisis of childhood obesity and diet-related disease, yet the world's biggest sporting event is saturated with marketing for unhealthy food and drinks," said Dr Elisa Becker, a co-author of the report. "Sport should be part of the solution to poor health – not one of the world's most powerful advertising platforms for the products driving it."