FIFA allow one World Cup stadium to break rule at tournament

FIFA have granted one World Cup stadium a special reprieve for their strict branding rules at the 2026 tournament.

The showpiece takes place in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with 104 games played across a total of 16 stadiums.

It all kicks off with the opening game between Mexico and South Africa on 11 June, with New Jersey hosting the final on 19 July.

A number of grounds staging games at the tournament are being forced to change their names, with no sponsors or brands allowed.

FIFA have incredibly strict rules around marketing as they must “protect its brands and the exclusive rights of its sponsors.” For example, Toronto's BMO Field will simply be known as the 'Toronto Stadium' and the MetLife Stadium will be referred to as 'the New York New Jersey Stadium'.

The same will apply to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium as it will simply be called 'The Atlanta Stadium'. However, the venue is the only one to be exempt from FIFA's regulations regarding branding.

An aerial shot of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Image: Getty

Though it was a different story at last year's Club World Cup, all stadiums had to sign a 100-page contract with FIFA and through public records request, The Athletic were able to able to see clause 6.4.ii, which stated it was agreed that "there shall be no advertising, marketing, promotion, merchandising, licensing, signage or other commercial identification of any kind on any stands, scoreboards, seats, seatbacks, time clocks, staff uniforms, Accreditation passes, fences or elsewhere inside, surrounding, or in the airspace above and around the Stadium other than that which is installed by, or at the direction of, FIFA or which is approved in writing by FIFA.”

The Mercedes-Benz Stadium has an eight-panel retractable roof which has a Mercedes star and though efforts were made to remove it, it was decided that it would not be possible and so FIFA eventually allowed an exemption after around 18 months of dialogue.

The reason is said to be that there is a high risk of damage to the roof, which could then cost a staggering amount of money to fix. When the roof is open, the Mercedes logo is not visible

but Adam Fullerton, the stadium’s vice-president of operations, has said they intend on keeping it closed.

There was a conversation of potentially using digital technology to remove the branding on broadcasts, with the avoidance of aerial shots of the stadium another option.

Many other stadiums do also have skyward-facing branding which needs to be removed but it remains to be seen exactly how it will be done.

Atlanta's ground, which will host games, is the stadium for which getting rid of branding was seen as the most challenging and so an agreement has been made.