McDonald’s will end its FIFA World Cup sponsorship after 32 years, opting not to renew its agreement following the 2026 tournament. The decision comes as the fast-food group reassesses its marketing strategy after its latest World Cup campaign delivered results below expectations.
According to Adweek, the exit follows the company’s largest-ever marketing campaign linked to the tournament. Developed by New York-based agency Wieden+Kennedy, the campaign ran in more than 110 countries and represented McDonald’s biggest World Cup marketing investment for the 2026 edition.
Despite its global reach, the activation failed to meet the company’s performance targets. During McDonald’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call, CFO Ian Borden said the campaign had boosted business and generated significant enthusiasm across the system, but ultimately underperformed expectations.
The company also reported a slowdown in the growth of its US operations during the period.
McDonald’s said its decision to leave FIFA’s commercial sponsorship programme was unrelated to recent controversies surrounding the governing body. In a statement, the company said the move had “no relation to recent news about the federation”.
The brand indicated that it would continue investing in sports through other properties and marketing platforms, even without its World Cup partnership.
The withdrawal comes at a challenging time for FIFA, with president Gianni Infantino facing scrutiny over governance, sporting issues and discussions around the commercialisation of football rights. However, McDonald’s has linked its decision to marketing performance rather than the organisation’s recent controversies.
The departure of one of the World Cup’s longest-standing sponsors is a significant development for the sports marketing industry. While the tournament offers global reach and concentrated audience attention, it also requires substantial investment and takes place only once every four years.
Brands are increasingly assessing opportunities that provide more consistent exposure throughout the sporting calendar, including partnerships with leagues, clubs and individual athletes. These arrangements can support recurring campaigns and more frequent engagement with consumers than major events concentrated over a few weeks.
McDonald’s exit highlights the growing importance of measurable returns and sustained consumer engagement in decisions about major sports sponsorships.