Did you follow the 2026 World Cup on television? If so, you may have seen an advert for unhealthy food, alcohol or gambling every seven seconds, according to a new study.
More than 93,000 ads for products potentially harmful to human health were broadcast during coverage of the largest FIFA World Cup to date, with approximately six billion people engaging with the 2026 tournament across television, streaming, digital and social media platforms. Such advertising was visible for 39.3 hours of live play — almost a quarter of the tournament’s total live broadcast time.
