World Cup venues drop sponsor names under FIFA rules
Several stadiums hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup are using temporary names during the tournament as FIFA applies its clean stadium policy, which limits non-sponsor branding at venues, a Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The U.S. opener against Paraguay marked a symbolic rebranding of the venue itself. Known year-round as SoFi Stadium, the stadium welcomed the World Cup under the temporary FIFA designation "Los Angeles Stadium," reflecting the tournament's strict sponsorship regulations.
The policy has also affected other stadiums with major naming-rights agreements. MetLife Stadium is being referred to as New York New Jersey Stadium, while NRG Stadium is listed as Houston Stadium. These companies have paid large sums for naming rights, but the World Cup is being held under FIFA’s commercial rules.
FIFA says the official stadium names for the 2026 tournament have been aligned with host city names and may differ from the names used locally.
The issue has drawn more attention this year because all 2026 World Cup games are being held in existing venues, unlike some previous tournaments where stadiums were built specifically for the event.
One exception is Vancouver’s BC Place, which is not affected by the naming policy.
In Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium has reportedly been allowed to keep a large roof logo in place because covering it could damage the structure. FIFA said it is working with stadiums and host cities to apply brand protection rules while taking into account each venue’s design and operational requirements.
Some stadium sponsors have taken a lighter approach to the temporary changes. In Seattle, Lumen released a promotional video showing company staff jokingly searching the stadium for branding to remove.
Similar clean venue rules are also used at the Olympic Games. SoFi Stadium is expected to remove sponsor branding again when it hosts events during the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the U.S. men's national soccer team began its World Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, in the first FIFA World Cup match held on U.S. soil in more than three decades.
