FIFA's Strict World Cup Rules: Musiala Must Tape Over Headphones, Even Ketchup Is Censored

The strictness with which FIFA protects the exclusivity of its World Cup sponsors not only causes surprise but also inspires companies not among the official partners to devise creative solutions.

Being an official FIFA or World Cup sponsor is not cheap. According to Florian Pfeffel, a professor of sports management at the University of Bad Homburg, official FIFA partners pay approximately $50 to $100 million annually, while World Cup sponsors pay $20 to $30 million.

FIFA showed no leniency even with Musiala's headphones. “One might think it's excessive. And it is. On the other hand, one must understand the rights holders. Sponsors pay huge sums, and FIFA must prevent anyone from gaining benefits without paying,” Pfeffel stated.

Around the stadiums and in fan zones, vendors are prohibited from offering products from brands that are not sponsors. Stadiums, even those with sponsor names, adopt neutral names during the tournament.

“FIFA applies the clean venue principle, according to which the stadium and its surroundings must be free of any competing naming rights,” explained economic expert Markus Voeth from the University of Hohenheim, as reported by DPA.

According to experts, tape is one of the primary tools for sponsor protection. In Foxborough, logos on over 60,000 seats were taped over. In Santa Clara, even the names of ketchups and mayonnaise on packaging were covered. However, marketing expert Robert Zitzmann argues that such interventions can have the opposite effect:

“It's an invitation to notice it – otherwise, we would never have been interested in a ketchup bottle or Musiala's headphones.”

Stadium naming rights are common in the USA but are prohibited during the World Cup. One of the most famous fashion brands had its logo covered with a white sheet, yet its outline remained clearly recognizable.

The fashion brand's reaction even amused Austria's coach. “I had to laugh when I saw the Levi’s logo covered. Now, nobody actually knows what it's called,” Ralf Rangnick said, according to DPA. For marketer Zitzmann, this is an exceptionally effective campaign: “Normal advertising for such reach would cost much more and generate less attention.”

The futuristic stadium in Atlanta bears the name of Mercedes-Benz, an automaker that pays approximately $10 million annually for rights until 2042. The logo is located on the stadium's roof. FIFA wanted it removed, but operators stated that it would compromise the roof's structure.

Each of the eight roof sections weighs approximately 500 tons, which ultimately convinced FIFA. Atlanta is thus the only stadium where the logo did not have to be covered. However, approximately 2,000 logos of the German automaker were still taped over within the stadium premises.