# World Cup flooded with junk food ads

> Study finds 65,000+ ads for unhealthy products during 2026 World Cup matches, raising concerns about marketing to children.
- Title: World Cup flooded with junk food ads · BBC Sport | Shortify
- Summary: Study finds 65,000+ ads for unhealthy products during 2026 World Cup matches, raising concerns about marketing to children. Major sporting events broadcast…
- Keywords: 2026 fifa world cup, junk food advertising, coca-cola, mcdonalds, lays, childhood obesity, advertising regulation, uk government, nhs, sports marketing, television broadcasting, sports
- Source: BBC Sport — https://bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cq4g528drx79o
- Published: 2026-09-21T05:19:38.803+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: 2026 fifa world cup, junk food advertising, coca-cola, mcdonalds, lays, childhood obesity, advertising regulation, uk government, nhs, sports marketing, television broadcasting, sports
## World Cup ads hit 65,000 times
Researchers used AI to track ads during the 2026 World Cup's 104 matches. Junk food and drink logos appeared 65,722 times total, visible for 28.1 hours across the tournament.

> "constant bombardment" of advertisements promoting junk food and drinks
## Coca-Cola led the ad blitz
Coca-Cola had 21,893 visible ads, followed by McDonald's with 13,915, Powerade with 12,777, and Lay's with 12,087. All four are official Fifa partners.
## Ten times more than gambling ads
Junk food logos appeared seven times more than alcohol ads, ten times more than gambling, and almost 25 times more than cryptocurrency promotions.
## UK ban doesn't apply globally
Since October 2025, junk food ads are banned on UK TV before 9pm. But World Cup ads on stadium hoardings at an international event fall outside this legislation, creating a loophole.

> "It is definitely a loophole"
## Normalizing unhealthy brands
Researchers argue that repeatedly connecting junk food brands with football, excitement and national identity makes these brands familiar and normalizes their consumption, especially for children.

> "Repeatedly connecting unhealthy food and drink brands with football, excitement and national identity can make these brands familiar and normalise their consumption"
## Obesity crisis needs global action
UK childhood obesity rates hit 15% in 2024, with 26% overweight. Public health leaders say advertising is a key driver and requires worldwide collaboration to address.

> "Obesity is almost the new tobacco"
## Sport should solve, not fuel it
Researchers say the world's biggest sporting event has become a powerful advertising platform for products driving poor health, when sport should be part of the solution.

> "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."
## Key takeaway

Major sporting events broadcast globally are exploiting a loophole to show junk food advertising that would be banned on UK TV before 9pm, normalizing unhealthy consumption to millions of viewers including children.