Coke and Visa Score Big on World Cup Sponsorships
The financial results are in for several major brands that sponsored the 2026 World Cup, and they're mixed. Coca-Cola and Visa reported strong earnings gains, with net revenues rising by 7% to $13.4 billion and 14% to $11.63 billion respectively.
Coca-Cola CEO Henrique Gnani Braun attributed the company's trademark volume growth of 5% in Q2 to their World Cup sponsorship, which was its strongest in 17 years. Visa CEO Ryan McInerney and CFO Chris Suh praised their FIFA investment on the financial services giant's earnings call, citing a significant increase in transactions in host cities.
On the other hand, Adidas and McDonald's struggled to make an impact with their World Cup sponsorships. While Adidas signed high-profile stars for a six-minute ad and dressed 14 national teams in its attire, its footwear revenue grew by just 1% and its profit fell short of analyst estimates.
McDonald's comparable store sales rose only 1.3% overall, while U.S. comps rose an anemic 0.8%. CEO Chris Kempczinski said the focus is now on delivering consistent quality, not 'borrowed equity' from high-profile partnerships.