Sponsor cover-ups become unexpected World Cup brand story
Bret McCormickWed, June 17, 2026 at 7:50 PM UTC·4 min readLevi’s can’t win the World Cup, but it won the social media conversation around the tournament this week with a cheeky response to its naming rights signage atop Levi’s Stadium being covered by a white bag.
Without offering an obvious explanation, the denim makers changed their Instagram profile picture to that very same bag, catching the attention of the account’s 10.3 million followers and many more in the soccer ecosystem beyond.
AdvertisementAdvertisementFIFA required host stadiums to cover signage of sponsors that aren’t affiliated with global soccer’s governing body. Brands that are FIFA sponsors, like Coca-Cola, Verizon and a host of AB InBev brands, like Budweiser or Michelob Light, were able to remain uncovered. During the tournament, the stadiums are referred to by their geographic location, Dallas Stadium instead of AT&T Stadium, for example.
Look Company and The Team Live (formerly Wasserman) won FIFA’s RFP for the “Venue Dressing Programme,” but some of the signage covering work was outsourced to local companies.
The cover-ups have become more noticeable in some cases than if the logos had just been left where they were.
AdvertisementAdvertisementMetLife Stadium’s cover-ups were clean and consistent, as were Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s. Those stadiums are hosting the final and a semifinal, so likely drew more attention from FIFA, which was responsible for commercially clean stadium cover-ups.
Other cover-ups were less artful, including the Levi’s bag job and a handful of signs at SoFi Stadium that were nearly translucent. The large SoFi sign outside the stadium and next to its retention pond was covered in FIFA 2026 World Cup branding.
2026 FIFA World Cup Coverage
AdvertisementAdvertisementLarge sponsor branding on the roofs of Lumen Field and AT&T Stadium were covered, though Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s unusual Mercedes-Benz emblem roof remained uncovered from above (and closed).
In Houston, the timing worked out perfectly; NRG Stadium took down its signage, which will be replaced by Reliant signage (same company as NRG) as part of the venue’s name change headed into the 2026 NFL season.
One social media post noted the piece of blue paint tape covering the Gillette logo on their seat for the Norway-Iraq match. At least 60,000 pieces of tape would have been ripped and placed on the seats at the stadium normally home to the Patriots and Revolution.
At AT&T Stadium, a prominent Ford sponsorship activation featuring stacks of Ford vehicles was easier to cover than remove from the upper reaches of the Dallas stadium.
And even the condiments in Levi’s Stadium’s press box had their labels taped over, according to an X post from reporter Kevin Nguyen.
Base camps weren’t immune from the requirements either. Atlanta United’s Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground is home to Uzbekistan as it traverses its first World Cup, but the Uzbeks wouldn’t know that. Atlanta United removed an Emory Healthcare logo from the sign adorning the recently renovated training facility’s primary entrance.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
