From Bristol · · 3m
World Cup viewers exposed to harmful branding
World Cup broadcasts show 93,000+ unhealthy food, alcohol and gambling brand appearances every seven seconds.
In brief
World Cup broadcasts show 93,000+ unhealthy food, alcohol and gambling brand appearances every seven seconds. A University of Bristol study found 93,000+ harmful brand appearances during 2026 World Cup, with 65% from four major brands. Originally reported by Bristol.
World Cup branding study
New research led by University of Bristol and University of Oxford found 93,000+ visible appearances of harmful brands during 2026 World Cup.
Harmful branding scale
The study counted 65,722 unhealthy food and drink brand appearances, 9,360 prediction markets, 9,266 alcohol brands and 6,429 gambling brands.
Embedded advertising
Researchers used UK's most powerful supercomputer to analyze 172.6 hours of live play across 104 matches for harmful branding.
Global exposure
FIFA reported nearly six billion people engaged with the tournament, with 267 billion impressions of harmful products in UK broadcasts.
Brand concentration
Four major brands accounted for 65% of harmful logos: a soft drink brand with 21,893 appearances, fast-food chain with 13,915, sports drink with 12,777 and crisps brand with 12,087.
Dr Raffaello Rossi
Dr Raffaello Rossi, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at University of Bristol, said World Cup provided unparalleled platform for advertising unhealthy products.
Health concerns
Dr Rossi noted marketing for unhealthy products links to increased consumption and health, social and financial harms especially among children.
Dr Elisa Becker
Dr Elisa Becker, Researcher at University of Oxford, said sport should be part of solution to poor health not advertising platform for harmful products.
Cross-border issues
FIFA shared match footage with broadcasters in countries where alcohol, gambling or prediction markets advertising may be restricted or illegal.
FIFA's oversight
FIFA did not use virtual board replacement technology to show different advertising in countries with legal restrictions on promoted products.
Gambling exposure
The study found 16,000 gambling and prediction markets logos reached countries where promoted brands were unlicensed or legal status uncertain.
Technology gap
Technology used in UEFA EURO 2024 already allows different countries to see different pitchside advertising but FIFA did not use it.
Calls for action
Researchers urge governments to enforce marketing rules for embedded branding and FIFA to adopt public interest standards for commercial partnerships.
Policy responses
Obesity Health Alliance and Gambling Reform APPG called for extending advertising restrictions to sport and urgent reform to protect young fans from gambling.
Congressional stance
US Congressman Paul Tonko urged legislation to provide consumer safeguards for online sports gambling and get sports out of gambling industry's hands.
In short
A University of Bristol study found 93,000+ harmful brand appearances during 2026 World Cup, with 65% from four major brands.
