2026 World Cup: Global Health Leaders Demand FIFA End its Coca-Cola Partnership - Vital Strategies
NEW YORK, June 4, 2026 /CNW/ -- A formidable coalition of global health experts and advocates is demanding FIFA commit to ending its partnership with Coca-Cola by 2030. The Kick Big Soda Out movement first targeted FIFA during the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States--where campaigners accused Coca-Cola of sportswashing its health and environmental harms across stadiums, broadcasts and social media. FIFA did not act. Now, with the full World Cup arriving on the same home turf, the pressure has intensified.
The tension could not be more visible. Co-hosting nations Canada and Mexico have enacted front-of-package warning labels on products with excess sugar, salt and fat--and Mexico has led the way on health taxes on sweetened beverages, along with the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador. These measures reflect years of deliberate public health advocacy to curb consumption of the unhealthy products Coca-Cola markets to millions of fans, especially children.
FIFA's commercial partnerships have long drawn scrutiny for the way they stand in direct opposition to local health policies. Coca-Cola's prominent presence at the 2026 World Cup follows the same playbook: asking countries that are working to cut sugar consumption and improve the health of their citizens to not only spotlight one of the world's biggest sweetened drink companies, but also flout national regulations designed to protect public health.
"Big Soda has perfected a singular con: exploiting the greatest athletic stages to sportswash a product linked to rising rates of diet-related disease," said Sandra Mullin, Senior Vice President, Policy Advocacy and Communication, Vital Strategies. "Big Tobacco was banned from major sporting events because sponsorship legitimized harm--Big Soda deserves the same treatment. The World Cup should not launder Big Soda's image. It's time to put people before profits."
Excess sugar consumption drives rising rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and Big Soda's aggressive marketing reaches millions, including children, influencing their preferences and purchases.
Kick Big Soda Out has amassed over 523,000 supporters and the backing of 97 organizations since its launch during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The campaign's ask is clear: FIFA must use the 2026 World Cup as a turning point, not another missed opportunity.
Join the movement demanding FIFA end its Coca-Cola partnership by 2030 at www.kickbigsodaout.org and use #KickBigSodaOut to join the conversation.
Media Contact:
Rachel Burns, [email protected]
SOURCE Vital Strategies
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