March 24, 2026 – 5:38 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The World Cup begins in less than 100 days in the USA, Mexico and Canada. FIFA has now relaxed its own rule – this could annoy sponsors.
According to The Athletic, the World Football Association (FIFA) has issued a special permit for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Accordingly, the roof structure, which consists of eight movable panels each almost 70 meters long, can remain as it is.
Background: When the stadium roof is closed, the panels form a huge Mercedes star. And this is actually breaking Fifa’s rules, because in the contracts between the stadiums and Fifa, clause 6.4.ii states, according to The Athletic, that “no advertising, marketing, promotions, merchandising, licensing, signage or other commercial identification of any kind on stands, scoreboards, seats, seat backs, time clocks, staff uniforms, accreditation badges, fences or elsewhere within, around or in the airspace above and around the stadium can give”.
The only exception is advertising measures or the like installed or approved by FIFA. The world association has required all other stadiums to remove other brand advertising in order to “protect its brands and the exclusive rights of its sponsors.” It goes without saying that FIFA’s partner companies could now be frustrated, after all Mercedes does not pay sponsorship to the world association for the stadium roof.
However, negotiations have been going on for a long time in Atlanta because the roof of the stadium is difficult to change. The operators themselves came to the conclusion in the winter that removing the Mercedes star was not possible without running a high risk of damage to the roof.
However, FIFA now seems to have accepted the fact. When contacted by The Athletic, a spokesman said there would be “no comment on specific agreements regarding individual stadiums.” However, he also made it clear: “Fifa is working closely with stadium operators and host cities to implement the (brand protection) requirements in a way that is consistent with previous editions of the tournament, taking into account the specific infrastructure and operational circumstances of each venue.”
