'Constant bombardment' - Fans shown 65,000 junk food ads at World Cup
Summary
A study found that viewers watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup saw over 65,000 ads for junk food and sugary drinks during matches. These ads appeared mostly on pitchside boards and were visible for a large portion of match time across all international broadcasts.Key Facts
- Researchers from the University of Bristol and University of Oxford used AI to count junk food ads during 104 World Cup matches.
- Junk food ads appeared 65,722 times and were visible for about 28.1 hours in total during matches.
- Junk food ads made up more than 16% of the total match playing time on screen.
- Coca-Cola had the most ads (21,893), followed by McDonald’s (13,915), Powerade (12,777), and Lay’s (12,087).
- All these brands are official FIFA partners and appeared on international feeds, seen by viewers worldwide.
- Junk food advertising was far more common than ads for alcohol, gambling, or cryptocurrency.
- UK TV bans junk food ads before 9pm but these in-stadium ads are not covered by that law, sparking calls for global restrictions.
- FIFA stated that most of its revenue from sponsors goes back into football and health campaigns.
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