World Cup 2026 Fans Hit by 65,000 Junk Food Ads

Study Reveals 'Constant Bombardment' of Junk Food Ads at 2026 World Cup

Football fans watching the 2026 Fifa World Cup were subjected to a "constant bombardment" of advertisements promoting junk food and drinks, according to a new study reported on Monday. Researchers at the University of Bristol and University of Oxford created an AI tool to analyse the advertising visible to television viewers during live play across the tournament's 104 matches, with most ads displayed on pitchside boards and around stadiums in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The findings, according to the study, showed that logos and products for brands producing junk food and drinks — defined by the UK government as being high in fat, salt or sugar — were displayed 65,722 times in total. Those adverts were visible for 28.1 hours of screen time across the tournament, equivalent to just over 16% of the total time that matches were being played.

All of the ads analysed appeared on the international feed of matches during play, meaning they were visible to every viewer in every country broadcasting the matches. The study did not include advertising shown during pre-match coverage, half-time commercial breaks, or the controversial in-match hydration breaks.

Scale of Exposure: 576 Ads Per Match

The model used by the researchers estimated that there was an average of 576 visible ads for junk food and drink shown during matches. With 104 games played across the expanded tournament, that volume of exposure adds up quickly for viewers tuning in from around the world.

The study specifically highlighted examples of official tournament partners whose branding featured prominently, including an official beverage partner (Coca-Cola), an official snack food partner (Lay's), and an official quick-service restaurant sponsor (McDonald's). These brands were visible on pitchside advertising boards and around the stadiums throughout the competition.

The research comes amid growing scrutiny of advertising during major sporting events and its potential impact on public health, particularly given the global audience that a World Cup attracts. The use of an AI tool to track and quantify advertising exposure represents a relatively new approach to measuring how often viewers see such branding during live broadcasts.

What the Findings Mean for the World Cup's Global Audience

The 2026 World Cup was the first to feature 48 teams and 104 matches, staged across three host nations. That expanded format meant more matches, more broadcast hours, and consequently more opportunities for advertising exposure. According to the study, the ads were not limited to a single region — because they appeared on the international feed, they reached viewers in every country showing the tournament.

The researchers' decision to exclude pre-match, half-time and hydration-break advertising means the true volume of junk food and drink promotion seen by audiences during the tournament could be even higher than the figures reported. The study's focus on live-play visibility provides a conservative baseline for understanding how frequently these brands appeared on screen.

For fans, the findings underline how commercial partnerships are woven into the fabric of the modern World Cup broadcast. With the tournament returning to a global stage and drawing massive television audiences, the visibility of such advertising remains a topic of interest for researchers, health advocates and supporters alike.

The study's authors from the University of Bristol and University of Oxford have not yet indicated whether further analysis of the data is planned, but the initial results offer a detailed snapshot of advertising during one of the world's most-watched sporting events. As international football continues to grow its commercial footprint, the balance between sponsorship revenue and audience exposure is likely to remain a talking point.

For those following the international game, the World Cup remains the pinnacle of the sport, and the conversation around its broadcast environment is part of a broader discussion about how the tournament is presented to a worldwide audience.