McDonald’s is ending its 32-year sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup as it reassesses its marketing strategy and shifts focus towards building its own brand properties, according to Adweek.
The decision follows the company’s biggest-ever World Cup campaign, which ran across more than 110 countries during the 2026 tournament. Created by Wieden+Kennedy New York, it was described as McDonald’s largest marketing initiative of the year. The campaign featured a FIFA World Cup meal, promotional Happy Meals and collectible cups with footballers such as David Beckham, Ronaldinho, Thierry Henry, Son Heung-min and Lamine Yamal.
The results fell short. On the second-quarter 2026 earnings call, chief financial officer Ian Borden said the campaign had provided a lift to the business and generated excellent system excitement, but had underperformed versus expectations. It came as McDonald’s faced slower growth in the US, adding to scrutiny of its marketing investments.
McDonald’s has been associated with FIFA tournaments since 1994. It renewed the partnership in 2023, covering the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and the 2026 men’s tournament, with stadium branding and naming rights to the Fair Play Trophy. The move signals a change in how the brand approaches major cultural and sporting events, with less reliance on external properties. It also raises a wider question for marketers: global events deliver vast audiences, but turning that visibility into sustained growth remains a challenge.
