Brands get creative to circumvent FIFA’s strict sponsorship rules during the World Cup

Published June 22, 2026 1:59pm ET | Updated June 22, 2026 1:59pm ET



The FIFA World Cup is one of the world’s largest sporting events, generating billions in marketing revenue. But with that visibility comes strict rules governing branding and sponsorship.

At the 2026 iteration of the tournament, taking place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, brands that are not sponsors of the tournament are finding creative ways to take advantage of so-called “debranding” retirements.

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