Kick Big Soda Out exposes and challenges Big Soda's sponsorships of teams, athletes and sporting events worldwide. Our goal is to spark change worldwide, from global sporting events to local communities, and get Big Soda off the field.

For decades, Coca-Cola has used the FIFA World Cup to push sweetened beverages to millions of fans—turning the world’s biggest game into one giant soda ad.

This is sportswashing.

Forty years ago, FIFA kicked tobacco out of sport. Big Soda should be next. With Coca-Cola’s sponsorship agreement up for review in 2030, FIFA needs to act now to end Big Soda sponsorships by 2030.

Why kick big soda out

THE REAL COST OF BIG SODA

Big Soda pours billions into sport sponsorships—making sweetened beverages feel like part of the game.

But behind the ads and stadium banners is the reality: they harm our health and our planet.

SEE THE FACTS

A red aluminum soda can rests horizontally on a pile of white granulated sugar, with its opening facing left. The objects are brightly illuminated against a deep black background, creating a clear reflection on the glossy surface below.

A low-angle shot captures a forest floor densely covered with discarded plastic bottles of various colors, including clear, green, and brown. Many bottles are weathered with dirt and moss, with a prominent clear bottle in the foreground showing a partially torn label and barcode, strongly backlit by the sun. The warm, golden light of a setting sun filters through the blurred trees in the background, creating bright highlights and a soft glow.

A young boy sits on a vibrant, patterned rug, holding a soccer ball and watching a football match on a television. The TV rests on a wooden media console, flanked by potted plants and wall art. Soft, warm light enters through sheer window curtains, casting a cozy glow. A grey sofa with colorful throw pillows and a blanket is to the right, while toys and a skateboard are on the wooden floor.

“By embedding itself in football and other beloved sports, Coca-Cola isn't just sponsoring the game; it's normalising excessive sugar consumption, contradicting the principles of fitness and health that sport represents”

Chris van Tulleken, infectious diseases doctor and Carlos A Monteiro, emeritus professor of nutrition and public health

MAKE A REAL IMPACT

BY JOINING THE MOVEMENT, YOU :

Help push sports governing bodies to end sweetened beverage sponsorships.

Stand with public health and climate advocates calling on Big Soda to take responsibility.

Show that fans want sports leaders to put people and the planet ahead of profit.

We’ll update you occasionally on major campaign milestones and actions. You can unsubscribe at any time.

ADD YOUR NAME

BECOME A PARTNER

IS YOUR ORGANIZATION READY TO TAKE A STAND?

97 organizations – from diabetes associations to climate advocacy groups - have already joined. By partnering with us, your organization can publicly back the call for healthier sport sponsorships.

Become a partner organization and join the movement by contacting us at info@kickbigsodaout.org.

JOIN AS AN ORGANIZATION

VIEW OUR PARTNERS

NEWS

The World is Paying Attention

Journalists, health experts and organizations everywhere are talking about how Big Soda sportswashes its health and environmental harms. Check out the latest coverage of Kick Big Soda Out.

A golden FIFA World Cup trophy, with a green base, is displayed in a clear case on a black pedestal featuring "FIFA WORLD CUP TROPHY TOUR" and "Coca-Cola" logos. A vibrant red and dark blue backdrop is behind it. On the left, a person's arm with a watch is visible, while on the right, hands in a dark suit, adorned with rings and a bracelet, are seen.

International Coalition demands FIFA break ties with Big Soda over health concerns.

Milenio, Mexico [Translated headline]

A soccer player in a dark blue striped jersey kicks a multi-colored ball towards a white goal with a hexagonal net. A goalkeeper in a light blue uniform is positioned defensively, while other players in white and striped jerseys are near the goal. A red Coca-Cola sign is visible behind the net on the bright green field under clear daylight.

Coca-Cola hit with backlash from doctors over harmful impacts of products: 'Perhaps most concerning is their appeal to children'

The Cool Down, US

A female soccer player in a blue uniform is captured mid-air, powerfully kicking a black and white soccer ball with her left foot. She wears a blue jersey, shorts, and socks, along with light-colored athletic shoes. The background is a plain, bright white, and the scene is evenly lit.

“Sportswashing”: BMJ says junk food brands target kids through UK athlete sponsorships

Nutrition Insight, Netherlands

A close-up view shows numerous red soda cans with silver lids, arranged in a pattern. One central can is open, revealing dark brown cola and a small silver spoon resting within the liquid. Bright, even lighting illuminates the scene, creating reflections on the metallic surfaces.

Health experts to FIFA: End Coca-Cola sponsorship, stop World Cup “sportswashing”

Nutrition Insight, Netherlands

Top-level sports should stop taking money from Big Soda... then we parents wouldn't feel such pressure to let our children guzzle fizzy drinks: DR CHRIS VAN TULLEKEN

Daily Mail, UK

A human hand with pink nail polish holds an open red soda can, pouring a cascade of white granulated sugar into a clear glass, forming a large mound. The entire scene is brightly lit against a solid, vivid red background.

Football is about health. Big Soda is not

Health Policy Watch, Switzerland

Football can't ignore its sugar problem

BMJ, UK (op-ed)

Three young people, two males and one female, stand with serious expressions against a brightly lit blue soccer stadium. The male on the left, in an olive shirt, holds a red card; the central male, in a striped t-shirt, has his arm on the female's shoulder, who wears an orange-brown shirt and holds a black and white soccer ball.

Sportswashing through Media: Coca-Cola’s Olympic Play - A Research Report

Vital Strategies, US

A woman in a yellow jacket and blue hijab sits on a reddish-brown running track, tying her teal shoes. She looks towards the viewer, with a green field and sand pit in the background under bright daylight.

The 2024 Olympic Games: end the health hypocrisy

The Lancet, UK (editorial)

Two dark Coca-Cola bottles with red labels, one marked 'GOÛT ORIGINAL' and the other 'SANS SUCRES', stand on a white surface. A black microphone and a white card with a gold emblem are to the left. The white surface features the dark blue text 'PARIS 2024', with the '0' represented by the Paris 2024 emblem. The background is a light blue wall, illuminated by bright, even lighting.

Public health advocates push Olympics to drop Coca-Cola sponsorship

National Public Radio, US

Health experts urge Olympics to cut ties with Coca-Cola

Agence France-Presse, France

Global campaign asks to take Coca-Cola and soft drinks out of the OIympic Games

La Crónica de Hoy, Mexico [Translated headline]

A person with short dark hair and a serious expression sits on a light brown stone staircase, wearing a maroon tracksuit with white and peach stripes. Various bags, water bottles, and clothing items are placed on the steps behind them. The background features a grassy hill, bare trees, and distant mountains under a soft, natural light.

The Olympic Game’s Up: it’s time for the IOC to stop promoting sugary drinks, BMJ Global, UK (editorial)

BMJ Global, U.K. (editorial)

A young man with a man bun and a serious expression stands on a blue basketball court, holding an orange basketball under his left arm. He wears a dark blue sleeveless hooded top. In the background, a basketball hoop is visible on the left, and a skate park with blurred figures is on the right. The court is surrounded by green trees, a stone wall, and distant buildings under a clear blue sky, illuminated by bright daylight.

For health and environment, entities unite against Coca-Cola sponsorship of the Olympic Games

Folha De S. Paulo, Brazil [Translated headline]

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions about what we’re doing and why? Here are common questions and answers about Kick Big Soda Out.

What is Kick Big Soda Out working to achieve?

Kick Big Soda Out aims to shift the global narrative—challenging the normalization of harmful products in sport and building pressure for systemic change. We do this by: 

Exposing sportswashing: how Big Soda exploits sport to promote unhealthy products and build false associations with health and athleticism. 
Building momentum for policies that restrict marketing of unhealthy products. 
Increasing knowledge of the health and environmental harms linked to sweetened beverages. 
Empowering people to question why soda and junk food have any place in sporting events. 
Mobilizing public pressure on global sporting organizations—from FIFA to the Olympics—to end these partnerships.

Who is behind Kick Big Soda Out?

Kick Big Soda Out is a global coalition of organizations and individuals working together to challenge the undue influence of corporate profit on public health.

What is Kick Big Soda Out asking people to do?

This is a movement, and everyone has a role to play. People can:

Join the movement: Sign up and show support.
Amplify: Share campaign content and spark conversations.
‍Act locally: Raise the issue in communities and at sporting events.
‍Shift the narrative: Talk about not just health harms, but also environmental and social impacts of Big Soda.

Why are young people at the forefront of Kick Big Soda Out?

Young people are at the center of both the impact and the response. They are among the most targeted by Big Soda marketing and are also leading global movements for healthier food systems, climate action and corporate accountability. At the forefront of the campaign, young people represent the ground-up movement driven by the generation most invested in the future of sport.

Are the claims in the campaign content accurate?

Absolutely! All statements made in Kick Big Soda Out’s materials, including the campaign itself, social media posts and written content, have been informed by peer-reviewed evidence, all of which can be found in the fact sheet.

Isn’t drinking soda a personal choice?

Individual choice is heavily shaped by marketing. Big Soda invests billions in sophisticated strategies, often targeting children and young people, to influence preferences and normalize consumption.  Global events like the FIFA World Cup amplify this influence, reaching billions of viewers and reinforcing these associations at scale.  This is why sponsorship matters. It’s not just about choice; it’s about the environment shaping that choice.

Why focus on Big Soda when there are other sponsors?

Sweetened beverages are directly linked to serious health harms, including obesity and Type 2 diabetes. There is also clear historical precedent. Just as tobacco companies were removed from sports sponsorship due to overwhelming evidence of harm, Big Soda’s role in sport deserves similar scrutiny.

Coca-Cola claims to be a socially responsible company that supports athletes worldwide. Are they really responsible for all these harms?

Big Soda companies often use “corporate social responsibility” to shape public perception.  Sponsorship in sport can create a “health halo,” associating unhealthy products with fitness and performance. This is a form of sportswashing. While these initiatives may appear positive, they often mask broader impacts on health, the environment and public policy. 

What will happen after the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

At the conclusion of the tournament, Kick Big Soda Out will send a formal letter to FIFA, representing the voices of partners and supporters worldwide.  This builds on previous advocacy efforts after the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and is part of a sustained push toward long-term change.

THE REAL COST OF BIG SODA

Harms health

Hurts the planet

Targeting Children and Teens

BY JOINING THE MOVEMENT, YOU :

IS YOUR ORGANIZATION READY TO TAKE A STAND?

The World is Paying Attention

Frequently Asked Questions