Of the 16 stadiums hosting World Cup matches, only one has retained its usual name for the tournament, according to Forbes. The rest must use neutral names associated with the host cities. Commercial signage, logos, and branding elements must be concealed, removed, or replaced.
For FIFA, this is not just a matter of visual design, but also a billion-dollar business. In 2025, the organization’s revenue from commercial rights totaled $965 million out of total revenue of $2.661 billion. Sponsorship agreements accounted for about 36% of the federation’s revenue, making them one of the main sources of funding alongside the sale of television rights.
FIFA’s model is based on exclusivity. Companies don’t just pay to have their logo displayed in connection with the tournament; they purchase the right to be the sole representative of their category. If Coca-Cola is an official partner of the championship, competitors in the same industry must not receive comparable association with the world’s premier soccer event. Similar rules apply to automobiles, equipment, and other categories.
According to Forbes, these requirements conflict with the American model of the sports business. In the U.S., stadium naming rights are one of the most common sources of revenue for arena owners. This is particularly true for National Football League (NFL) venues, where a significant portion of the World Cup matches will be held.
For example, the average value of a naming rights deal for NFL stadiums is estimated at approximately $10 million per year. However, during the tournament, these brands will disappear from FIFA’s official sphere. Stadium owners will retain their long-term contracts but will lose some of the marketing value associated with the World Cup’s global audience.
One of the most notable cases was the situation at Levi’s Stadium in California, where a large company logo on the stadium’s structure was covered up before the tournament. Such measures stem from the fact that the commercial rights to the World Cup belong to FIFA, not to the owners of specific stadiums.
Stadium preparation costs are also becoming a separate budget item. In Houston, organizers reported that they had allocated more than $1 million to remove commercial advertising and bring the venue into compliance with FIFA requirements. Depending on the specific venue, the costs may be shared among the federation, host cities, and stadium owners.
The restrictions apply not only to buildings. FIFA’s marketing policy extends to any images that may appear in official broadcasts. Before matches, teams receive reminders about the ban on displaying brands that are not tournament partners. Even players’ accessories—such as branded headphones or travel bags—may come under scrutiny.
Forbes notes that the cost of lost advertising exposure could run into the millions of dollars. According to Eric Smallwood, an expert at Apex Marketing Group, the equivalent brand value (EBV) for the stadium naming rights holder could be around $5 million per group stage match, $9 million for a quarterfinal, $11 million for a semifinal, and up to $80 million for the final.
Strict control over commercial space has become part of the World Cup’s evolution as a global sports product. While the first FIFA tournaments were focused primarily on promoting soccer, today the World Cup is one of the most expensive marketing platforms in the world.
