A powerful group of international health experts and campaigners is calling on FIFA to commit to ending its sponsorship arrangement with Coca-Cola by 2030. The Kick Big Soda Out initiative first targeted FIFA at the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, where protesters highlighted how Coca-Cola masks the health and environmental harms of its products across stadiums, broadcasts and social platforms. FIFA offered no response. With the full World Cup now set for the same region, the pressure has grown stronger.

The contrast stands out clearly. Canada and Mexico, co-hosts of the event, have introduced front-of-pack warning labels on items high in sugar, salt and fat, while Mexico along with Canadian provinces such as Newfoundland and Labrador have adopted taxes on sugary drinks. These steps reflect sustained public-health efforts to curb consumption of the very products Coca-Cola promotes to millions of fans, including children.

FIFA commercial partnerships have long drawn criticism for clashing with national health goals. Coca-Cola's prominent role at the 2026 World Cup follows the same pattern, spotlighting one of the world's largest sugary-drink makers in countries that are actively working to reduce sugar intake and protect public health.

Manufacturers of sugary beverages have perfected a large-scale deception by using major sporting events to rehabilitate the image of a product linked to rising diet-related illness, said Sandra Mullin, senior vice president for policy advocacy and communication at Vital Strategies. Just as tobacco companies were removed from big sports because sponsorship excused the damage they cause, large sugary-drink producers deserve the same treatment. The World Cup should not serve to polish the reputation of these companies. It is time to put people ahead of profit.

Excessive sugar intake drives higher rates of obesity, type-2 diabetes and heart disease, while aggressive marketing by major sugary-drink firms reaches millions, including children, shaping their tastes and purchases.

Since launching at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Kick Big Soda Out campaign has gathered more than 523,000 supporters and backing from 97 organizations. Its message remains direct: FIFA should treat the 2026 World Cup as a turning point rather than another missed chance.

Join the call for FIFA to end its partnership with Coca-Cola by 2030 and take part in the conversation using the hashtag #KickBigSodaOut.

Contact for media: Rachel Burns, [email protected]