A study led by the University of Bristol and University of Oxford found over 93,000 appearances of harmful commodity branding during the FIFA World Cup. Unhealthy food and drink brands accounted for 65,722 of these, with alcohol, gambling, and prediction markets also heavily represented. Using the UK’s supercomputer Isambard-AI, researchers analyzed 172.6 hours of live play across 104 matches.

The branding was embedded in match footage, making it unavoidable for viewers. In the UK alone, the ads generated 267 billion impressions. Four major brands—Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Gatorade, and Lay’s—were responsible for 65% of all harmful logos.

Dr Raffaello Rossi noted the omnipresent nature of the marketing, while Dr Elisa Becker highlighted the contradiction between sport’s health goals and its role in promoting unhealthy products. FIFA did not use virtual board replacement technology, leading to global exposure to ads that may be illegal in some countries.