Global health advocates are urging FIFA to end its long-running sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola, calling on the world football governing body to phase out support from ultra-processed food and beverage companies when the current agreement comes up for review in 2030. The campaign, called “Kick Big Soda Out,” says FIFA should publicly commit now to ending Coca-Cola’s role as a World Cup sponsor and adopt a partnership policy that excludes companies selling products linked to poor health outcomes.
Coca-Cola has sponsored the FIFA World Cup since 1978, and the company’s deal is understood to account for about 2% of FIFA’s income. The campaign argues that the sponsorship gives unhealthy products a powerful global platform during the tournament, which is among the most watched sporting events in the world. In a letter to FIFA president Giovanni Infantino, the group warned that the 2026 World Cup could expose as many as six billion viewers, including many children, to marketing that connects football’s biggest stars with sugary drinks associated with obesity, Type 2 diabetes and other diet-related diseases.
The advocates describe this as “sportswashing,” saying it uses football’s popularity to make unhealthy products seem normal and acceptable. They point to FIFA’s past decision to stop accepting tobacco advertising as a precedent, arguing that sweetened beverages should be treated in a similar way. The campaign says sport should not be used to promote products that contribute to public health problems.
The call comes as governments in the World Cup’s host countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico — continue efforts to reduce sugar consumption and the impact of ultra-processed foods. Canada and Mexico have introduced front-of-package warning labels for products high in sugar, salt and fat. Mexico has also led the way in taxing sweetened beverages, alongside the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador. Campaigners say Coca-Cola’s visibility during the tournament clashes with these public health measures and undermines national efforts to improve diets and protect children.
The letter highlights the scale of the health burden linked to sugary drinks and excess sugar consumption. It says Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest-growing global health threats, with hundreds of millions of adults living with the condition worldwide. It also cites research linking sugary beverage consumption to millions of new Type 2 diabetes cases and notes that obesity has more than doubled among adults and quadrupled among children and adolescents since 1990.
Sandra Mullin of Vital Strategies, which is leading the campaign, said major sports events should not be used to “sportswash” harmful products. She argued that, just as big tobacco was banned from major sporting sponsorships because of the harm associated with its products, big soda should face the same scrutiny.
The campaign also criticizes Coca-Cola’s environmental record, calling it the world’s leading plastic polluter. Kick Big Soda Out says it has gathered more than 522,000 supporters and the backing of 97 organizations since launching during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
