Football fans watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup were exposed to more than 65,000 appearances of advertisements for food and drink products classified as high in fat, salt or sugar, according to a study by researchers from the universities of Bristol and Oxford.

The study, reported by BBC Sport on Monday, used an artificial intelligence tool to analyse advertising visible to television audiences during live play across all 104 matches of the tournament, which was jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Researchers recorded 65,722 appearances of logos and products belonging to brands classified under UK government criteria as high in fat, salt or sugar.

The advertisements remained visible for a combined 28.1 hours during matches, representing slightly more than 16 per cent of the total playing time.

The researchers estimated that an average of 576 junk food and drink advertisements appeared during each match.

Coca-Cola recorded the highest number of appearances at 21,893, followed by McDonald’s with 13,915. Powerade had 12,777 appearances, while Lay’s was displayed 12,087 times.

All four brands are official FIFA partners, with Powerade owned by Coca-Cola.

The researchers also compared the frequency of junk food advertising with other forms of potentially harmful advertising.

According to the study, logos for junk food and drinks appeared about seven times more frequently than those for alcohol and prediction-market brands, 10 times more than gambling brands and nearly 25 times more than cryptocurrency brands.

The researchers said the advertisements were carried on the international broadcast feed during live play, making them visible to viewers watching the matches across different countries.

However, the analysis excluded advertisements shown during pre-match programmes, half-time intervals and hydration breaks.

The findings have raised fresh concerns over the exposure of football audiences to food advertising during major international sporting competitions.

Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, described the situation as a gap in existing advertising regulations, noting that governments were increasingly introducing measures to restrict junk food advertising amid concerns over obesity.

In the UK, restrictions introduced in October 2025 prohibit television advertising for certain less-healthy foods before 9pm.

The regulations, however, do not extend to international pitchside advertising displayed during sporting events.

The researchers argued that the repeated association of unhealthy food and drink brands with football, excitement and national identity could increase brand familiarity and contribute to the normalisation of their consumption.

FIFA defended its advertising arrangements, saying its global partners operate within governance and compliance frameworks.

The football governing body also pointed to its social-impact campaigns, including Be Active, which it said promoted health, inclusion, friendship and unity during the tournament.

Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and PepsiCo, the parent company of Lay’s, were contacted for comments but had not responded.