Beyond The Pitch: The Intellectual Property Powering The FIFA World Cup 2026

1. Introduction: The FIFA World Cup 2026 as an Intellectual Property Ecosystem

Every four years, the FIFA World Cup captivates a global audience on a scale only a few events can rival; the final match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup alone drew over 1.5 billion viewers, with nearly 5 billion people engaging with tournament content across multiple platforms.¹ Like other major global sporting events, the FIFA World Cup is far more than a sporting event, it is one of the world's most sophisticated intellectual property ecosystems. The FIFA World Cup 2026, currently hosted in North America across the United States, Canada and Mexico will generate substantial value from commercial activities including broadcasting rights, sponsorships, merchandising, licensing and digital engagement. These commercial activities are sustained by a network of intellectual property (IP) rights, including trademarks, copyright, patents and image rights.

As football increasingly intersects with technology and global commerce, IP protection has become central to preserving the value and integrity of the World Cup. This article examines how these rights operate and why they remain indispensable to FIFA's commercial model.

2. Trademarks and the Legal Ownership of the FIFA World Cup 2026

Trademarks protect signs capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one entity from those of another, including names, logos, slogans, colours, shapes, and other distinctive identifiers². By conferring exclusive rights of use, trademarks enable rights holders to prevent unauthorised use of identical or confusingly similar marks. In the world of sport, however, trademarks function not merely as a defensive tool but also as commercial assets. By securing trademark protection over their names, logos, signatures and other distinctive identifiers, athletes and sports entities are able to control over the commercial use of their identities and license those rights to third parties, thereby converting their sporting identity and goodwill into revenue.³

Within the World Cup ecosystem, trademarks preserve FIFA's commercial identity and prevent unauthorised exploitation of tournament assets such as logos, word marks, titles, symbols, slogans, host city logos, and the iconic World Cup trophy, which are reinforced across multiple jurisdictions.⁴

2.1 Branding Rights of National Teams

Trademark protection within the FIFA World Cup framework extends to participating national teams. Team names, crests and kit design often embody decades of brand development and carry significant commercial value through merchandising and sponsorship arrangements. The team crest, often incorporating national symbols, colours, and heraldic imagery, serves not only as an emblem of sporting identity but also as a commercially exploitable asset underpinning a substantial licensing and merchandise market⁵ which may also attract trademark protection.

2.2 Rights of Individual Players

Individual players increasingly function as independent commercial brands. Distinctive goal celebrations, catchphrases, and slogans may qualify for trademark protection where they are sufficiently distinctive and function as identifiers of commercial origin.⁶ Through endorsement arrangements and licensing agreements, trademarks enable athletes to convert their reputation and fan following into revenue-generating commercial opportunities.⁷ This is evident in partnerships such as Cristiano Ronaldo's "CR7" brand, which has expanded beyond football into apparel, footwear and lifestyle products,⁸ and Lionel Messi's long-standing partnership with Adidas,⁹ under which his trademarked name¹⁰ and personal branding have been used in the development and marketing of signature adidas products.

Trademark protection goes beyond names as evidenced by Kylian Mbappé's trademark protection over a logo inspired by his signature celebration pose.¹¹ It must be emphasised that the protection does not prevent others from performing the celebration itself; rather, it allows him to control the use of the associated logo on merchandise and other commercial offerings.¹²

2.3 Counterfeiting

Counterfeiting remains a major challenge in the sports industry. However, FIFA combats this through licensing schemes, authentication technologies and cross-border enforcement initiatives. Products released under this programme typically carry authentication features such as official licensing labels, holograms, and legally required notices that distinguish them from unauthorised goods.

It is worthwhile to note that the impact of counterfeiting extends beyond immediate financial losses. It undermines the integrity of FIFA's licensing programme, dilutes brand value, and erodes consumer trust.¹³ Furthermore, it raises significant consumer protection concerns, particularly where counterfeit goods fail to meet applicable quality and safety standards.

3. Copyright in the FIFA World Cup 2026

Copyright provides legal protection for a broad range of works connected to the tournament, including broadcasts, audiovisual productions, musical works, performances, and promotional content. It grants the creators of these original works the exclusive rights to control the exploitation of their works, subject to statutory limits and exceptions.

3.1 Broadcasting

While a football match itself does not attract copyright protection, copyright subsists in the broadcast of that event. FIFA and its licensed broadcasters therefore hold exclusive rights over live transmissions, recorded footage, highlights packages and other audiovisual content generated from the tournament. Consequently, the unauthorised recording, reproduction, streaming or retransmission of World Cup broadcasts may constitute copyright infringement.¹⁴ Arguably, the commercial significance of these rights lies in FIFA's ability to license broadcasting rights on an exclusive territorial basis, enabling different broadcasters to acquire exclusive rights within particular territories.¹⁵

By granting geographically exclusive licences, FIFA is able to maximise the value of its media rights portfolio while ensuring controlled and coordinated distribution of tournament content across multiple jurisdictions. These arrangements also provide the legal basis upon which FIFA may take enforcement action against unauthorised streaming, signal piracy and other forms of illicit retransmission that threaten the value of official broadcast rights.

This territorial licensing model is a cornerstone of modern sports broadcasting. The Premier League, for instance, has historically licensed its Sub-Saharan African broadcasting rights to SuperSport,¹⁶ while separate exclusive rights have been granted to beIN Sports across the Middle East and North Africa.¹⁷

3.2 Recorded Footage

Copyright protection also extends to recorded footage derived from World Cup matches, including replays, highlight packages, and archival content. Digital platforms have intensified enforcement challenges as fans routinely share clips on social media. However, such use is only lawful where it falls within recognised exceptions such as fair dealing.¹⁸ Outside these limited circumstances, the reproduction or retransmission of World Cup broadcast content without authorisation may constitute infringement.¹⁹

3.3 Official Songs, Performances and Advertisements

Copyright also extends to official songs, promotional content and ceremony performances. These works often involve multiple layers of rights held by composers, performers and production companies.²⁰ The audiovisual recording of these ceremonies, produced as part of the official broadcast, constitutes a distinct copyright work owned by FIFA or created under licence. Copyright therefore enables FIFA, its media partners, sponsors, and individual creators to control, license, and monetise their respective contributions. As digital consumption expands, effective copyright management remains essential to maintaining the economic structure of the World Cup.

Copyright protection may also extend to architectural works associated with the tournament, particularly in relation to the design and construction of World Cup stadiums and related infrastructure. For such works to qualify for protection, they must satisfy the statutory requirements of originality and fixation. Copyright laws however, do not extend to standard construction methods or purely functional features; rather, it protects the creative and artistic elements reflected in the overall form, arrangement, and composition of the structure.

4. Personality and Image Rights

Although not strictly a traditional form of intellectual property, image rights occupy a central place in modern sports law. They are particularly significant in the context of the FIFA World Cup, where elite footballers are global brands whose distinctive identities possess substantial commercial value.²¹ Unauthorised commercial use of a player's image may give rise to liability for misappropriation, passing off or unjust enrichment. Such disputes frequently arise in advertising, merchandising and digital media.²²

4.1 Video Games

The significance of image rights is especially evident in gaming platforms, which rely on highly realistic representations of players including their physical appearance, playing style, and even signature movements. Similarly, World Cup-themed gaming products and fantasy sports platforms modelled similarly to Fantasy Premier League allow users to select real players, track performance metrics, and accumulate points based on real-world match outcomes.²³ The lawful use of these likenesses generally requires licensing agreements. Without authorisation, developers may face legal claims in jurisdictions recognising image rights.

The commercial significance of these licensing arrangements is highlighted by the breakdown of the long-standing partnership between EA Sports and FIFA. For over three decades, EA Sports published the FIFA video game series under licence, building one of the most commercially successful sports gaming franchises in history and generating reported sales of over $ 20 billion.²⁴ However in 2022 the parties failed to renew their agreement, making FIFA 22 the final title released under the partnership.²⁵ Despite losing the FIFA licence, EA retained separate agreements with leagues, clubs and player associations, enabling it to continue using authentic team identities, competitions and player likenesses. It subsequently rebranded the franchise as EA Sports FC, with FC 24 launching in September 2023. The transition demonstrates that tournament branding, competition names and player image rights constitute distinct categories of intellectual property, each requiring separate licensing arrangements and carrying independent commercial value.

4.2 Advertisements

Beyond gaming, the use of player likeness in advertising raises equally significant legal considerations. Official tournament sponsors frequently seek to feature players in marketing campaigns; however, a sponsor's association with FIFA does not automatically confer the right to use a player's image. Such use requires separate and express authorisation from the player. Absent this consent, the unauthorised commercial exploitation of a player's identity may give rise to claims for misappropriation of identity, passing off, or unjust enrichment.

4.3 Tension Between FIFA Rights and Player Image Rights

Tensions also arise between FIFA's institutional rights and players' individual endorsements. During tournament periods such as this, players may face restrictions designed to prevent ambush marketing by non-official sponsors.²⁶ However, this entitlement does not extend to a player's individual image, which remains within the player's control. It is within this space that the risk of ambush marketing most clearly emerges.

This concern is most acute during tournament "blackout periods," when players are restricted from engaging in certain promotional activities for non-official sponsors.²⁷ These restrictions are designed to limit the ability of competing brands to leverage player visibility at the peak of global attention. The tension is particularly evident where players maintain personal sponsorship arrangements with brands that compete directly with official FIFA partners. Although players may continue to use such products for example, boots or apparel, limitations are often imposed on how those brands may be promoted, especially in ways that could suggest an association with the tournament. In this context, the line between legitimate personal endorsement and impermissible ambush marketing becomes increasingly blurred.

It is worthwhile noting that ambush marketing extends beyond players as reflected in FIFA's clean stadium policy, which requires the removal or covering of non-sponsor branding within and around World Cup venues to preserve the exclusivity of official partners.²⁸ During the edition of this year's tournament, Levi's Stadium, complied by covering its exterior branding; however, the visible outline of its distinctive batwing logo beneath the covering generated significant public attention,²⁹ illustrating the challenges rights holders face in controlling brand associations during major sporting events.

5. Patents and Technological Innovation

Patents protect inventions by granting exclusive rights for a limited period, typically twenty years, after which it enters the public domain.³⁰ In football, patent protection underpins many of the technologies that shape modern tournaments. The significant commercial value attached to these innovations makes patent protection essential for manufacturers and other stakeholders.

5.1 Patented Innovations in Football Equipment

One of the most prominent examples of patent-driven innovation is the official match ball, which is among the most highly engineered components of the tournament. A notable example is the Trionda, the official match ball for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which incorporates AI-enabled connected-ball technology, including an embedded sensor capable of capturing and transmitting ball-movement data in real time.³¹ Football boot technology represents another commercially significant area of patent activity. Leading manufacturers such as Adidas and Nike, maintain extensive patent portfolios³² covering innovations in stud configuration, traction systems, upper material construction, and soleplate engineering.

5.2 Officiating Technologies: VAR, Goal-Line Technology, and Smart Systems

Another significant aspect to consider is the development and deployment of advanced officiating technologies which have fundamentally transformed the accuracy, consistency, and integrity of decision-making in the game. Significant examples include:

1. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, introduced at the FIFA World Cup in 2018. The underlying components, including video analysis software, replay protocols, and decision-support systems, may be protected by patents held by the technology providers responsible for their development.³³
2. The introduction of semi-automated offside technology at the 2022 tournament.³⁴ By combining multiple tracking cameras with ball-embedded sensors, the system generates real-time positional data used to determine offside decisions with a high degree of accuracy. The computer vision algorithms, player-tracking systems, and data integration processes underpinning this technology represent significant patentable innovations.
3. Goal-line technology, first implemented at the 2014 World Cup³⁵ provides definitive confirmation of whether the ball has fully crossed the goal line. Competing systems ranging from camera-based tracking to sensor-based detection are protected by patents covering their respective technical methodologies.
4. Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems (EPTS)³⁶ including wearable sensors and GPS devices, generate valuable data for teams and coaches. Patent protection incentivises continued investment in these technologies and prevents unauthorised commercial exploitation.

These advancements illustrate the increasing integration of data-driven technologies within modern football and underscore the critical role of patent law in protecting the technological infrastructure that supports modern football officiating and performance analysis. Patent protection ensures that the inventors of such technologies retain exclusive rights over their innovations, preventing unauthorised commercial exploitation by third parties. At the international level, instruments such as the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property³⁷ reinforce this protection by requiring member states to recognise and safeguard patent rights across jurisdictions.

World Cup infrastructure further demonstrates the role of patents. Stadium innovations involving cooling systems, retractable roofs, security technologies and crowd management may all incorporate patented inventions. As the 2026 World Cup returns to North America, where stadiums will include both dedicated football venues and large American football stadiums adapted for the tournament, the technological challenges are different but no less significant. Accordingly, patent not only incentivises continued technological innovation in football but also preserves the commercial value of these advancements by ensuring that rights holders can control and monetise their inventions within the global sports industry.

6. Enforcement Across Jurisdictions

The tri-national hosting model of the 2026 World Cup presents unique IP enforcement challenges despite the significant commercial and logistical advantages it presents. Thus, FIFA must protect its rights across multiple jurisdictions with differing legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms. This complexity is further compounded by the global and digital nature of modern infringement. Effective enforcement, therefore, requires not only domestic legal action within host countries but also coordinated international strategies.

International treaties provide the foundation for this protection. The Berne Convention establishes minimum standards for copyright protection, including the principles of automatic protection and national treatment, ensuring that works originating in one member state receive the same protection in others without the need for formal registration.³⁸ This is particularly relevant for World Cup broadcast content, audiovisual works, and digital media circulating globally. Additionally, the TRIPS Agreement mandates that member states implement effective enforcement mechanisms, including civil remedies such as injunctions and damages; criminal sanctions for wilful infringement on a commercial scale and border measures allowing customs authorities to seize counterfeit goods.³⁹ These international instruments collectively ensure a baseline level of protection across jurisdictions that are signatories to the treaties, thereby forming the backbone of FIFA's global enforcement strategy.

6.1 Cross-Border Digital Enforcement

The digital environment presents the greatest challenge to IP enforcement in the context of the FIFA World Cup. Unauthorised streaming, online piracy, and social media infringement frequently transcend national borders, complicating both the identification of infringers and the determination of the appropriate jurisdiction in which enforcement action may be brought.

A threshold question in any enforcement scenario is whose rights are actually being infringed, which does not always have a straightforward answer. FIFA, as the overarching rights holder, owns the intellectual property in the World Cup brand, official marks, and audiovisual content it produces directly. However, where FIFA has licensed exclusive broadcasting rights to a third party, it is the licensee, rather than FIFA, who holds the exclusive right to transmit that content within the relevant territory. An unauthorised stream of a World Cup match in that territory therefore primarily infringes the licensee's exclusive broadcasting rights, though FIFA's underlying intellectual property in the content remains engaged.

Similarly, where FIFA has granted sponsors or commercial partners exclusive rights to use certain marks or imagery within defined product categories, ambush marketing or counterfeit merchandise may infringe the rights of those licensees as much as, or in some cases more directly than, FIFA's own trademark rights.

This layered rights structure results in layered enforcement implications. A licensee who suffers infringement may bring legal action independently of FIFA, particularly where it holds an exclusive licence conferring standing to sue. Conversely, FIFA may pursue enforcement on behalf of the broader intellectual property ecosystem to protect the commercial value of its licensing programme, even where the immediate harm is experienced by a licensee.

In practice, FIFA relies on notice and takedown mechanisms; dynamic injunctions requiring internet service providers to block infringing websites; and partnerships with digital platforms and content protection agencies.⁴⁰

FIFA's approach to enforcement is not solely punitive but also strategic and pragmatic. In certain cases, FIFA prioritises education and voluntary compliance, engaging directly with businesses to resolve issues without litigation.⁴¹ This calibrated approach ensures that enforcement efforts are proportionate, commercially effective, and aligned with the broader objective of preserving the value of the tournament's intellectual property.

7. Conclusion

The FIFA World Cup 2026 demonstrates that modern sport is driven as much by intellectual property as by athletic competition. Trademarks preserve commercial identity; copyright enables global distribution; image rights protect athlete branding; patents foster technological innovation; and trade secrets safeguard the confidential information that can determine success on the pitch.

Without robust intellectual property protection, the commercial ecosystem underpinning broadcasting rights, sponsorships and merchandising would struggle to function effectively. Intellectual property is therefore not incidental to the World Cup; it is the legal infrastructure that enables the tournament to operate on a global scale.

Footnotes

1. FIFA, 'World Cup 2022 in Numbers' (FIFA, 2022) https://inside.fifa.com/tournament-organisation/world-cup-2022-in-numbers accessed 10 April 2026.
2. Trade Marks Act 1967, s67
3. Sandra Eke, 'Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in a Franchise Agreement' (Mondaq, 2022) https://www.mondaq.com/nigeria/trademark/880910/protection-of-intellectual-property-rights-in-a-franchise-agreement accessed 10 April 2026.
4. Sandra Eke, 'Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in a Franchise Agreement' (Mondaq, 2022) https://www.mondaq.com/nigeria/trademark/880910/protection-of-intellectual-property-rights-in-a-franchise-agreement accessed 10 April 2026
5. Cyberleninka, 'Well-Known Marks and Sports in View of the World Intellectual Property Day 2019' (Cyberleninka, 2019) https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/well-known-marks-and-sports-in-view-of-the-world-intellectual-property-day-2019 accessed 10 April 2026.
6. Football Celebrations and Trademarks: Monetizing Likeness (Am Badar & Am Badar, 2025) https://ambadar.com/insights/football-celebrations-and-trademarks-monetizing-likeness/ accessed 2 June 2026
7. Pranav, 'Trademarks in Sports: How Teams and Athletes Use IP to Build Brands' (Khurana & Khurana, 13 October 2025) https://www.khuranaandkhurana.com/trademarks-in-sports-how-teams-and-athletes-use-ip-to-build-brands accessed 19 June 2026.
8. Bernhard Schmidt and Gudrun Irsa-Klingspiegl, 'Sport & Trademarks – Trademark Protection for Athletes and Stars: Which Trademarks Can Be Protected and How Can They Be Monetised?' (Schönherr Rechtsanwälte GmbH, 17 April 2025) https://www.schoenherr.eu/content/sport-trademarks-trademark-protection-for-athletes-and-stars-which-trademarks-can-be-protected-and-how-can-they-be-monetised accessed 24 June 2026.
9. Peter Verry, 'Exclusive: Leo Messi on Soccer's Influence on Fashion and His History with Adidas' (Footwear News / WWD, 3 June 2024) https://wwd.com/footwear-news/shoe-industry-news/lionel-messi-fashion-soccer-adidas-interview-1237702948/ accessed 24 June 2026.
10. Lionel Messi wins nine-year fight to trademark his surname (BBC News, 2020) https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54193973 accessed 24 June 2026.
11. Enrico Bonadio and Andrea Zappalaglio, 'Kylian Mbappé Has Trademarked His Iconic Goal Celebration – Why a Pose Can Form Part of a Player's Protected Brand' (City St George's, University of London, 24 March 2024) https://www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2024/march/kylian-mbappe-trademarked-iconic-goal-celebration-why-pose-form-part-players-protected-brand accessed 19 June 2026
12. Ibid.
13. World Intellectual Property Organization, 'Broadcasting and Sports' (WIPO) https://www.wipo.int/en/web/sports/broadcasting accessed 10 April 2026.
14.  
15. Icareus, 'How Do You Manage Sports Streaming Rights Across Different Regions?' (Icareus, 16 April 2026) https://icareus.com/how-do-you-manage-sports-streaming-rights-across-different-regions/ accessed 10 April 2026.
16. Premier League, 'SuperSport Renews Deal to Broadcast Competition Until End of 2021/22 Season' (Premier League) https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/367485 accessed 10 April 2026.
17. beIN Sports, 'beIN Media Group Extends Exclusive Broadcast Rights of the Premier League Across MENA Until 2028' (beIN Sports, 17 June 2025) https://www.beinsports.com/en-mena/football/premier-league/articles-video/bein-media-group-extends-exclusive-broadcast-rights-of-the-premier-league-across-mena-until-2028-2025-06-17 accessed 10 April 2026.
18. Copyright Act, 2022 (Act No. 8 of 2022), S. 20. See also The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (adopted 9 September 1886, as revised at Paris 24 July 1971) 828 UNTS 221, arts 9(2) and 10.
19. Copyright Act, 2022 (Act No. 8 of 2022), s.36
20. World Intellectual Property Organization, 'Music and Copyright' (WIPO) https://www.wipo.int/en/web/music accessed 10 April 2026.
21. International Bar Association, 'Image Rights Protection under Nigerian Law' (IBA) https://www.ibanet.org/image-rights-protection-nigerian-law accessed 10 April 2026.
22. Prince-Alex Iwu, 'The Legal Regime for Enforcement of Image Rights: A Nigerian Question' (LinkedIn, 2015) https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/legal-regime-enforcement-image-rights-nigerian-question-iwu/ accessed 10 April 2026.
23. True Rights, 'From Pitch to Poster: Usage Rights and Footballers' Likeness in the Premier League' (True Rights) https://truerights.com/knowledge-hub/from-pitch-to-poster-usage-rights-and-footballers-likeness-in-the-premier-league accessed 10 April 2026
24. Rachael, 'EA and FIFA Split: 1 Year On, Examining FIFA's Own-Goal' (The Lawyer Portal, 23 May 2024) https://www.thelawyerportal.com/blog/ea-and-fifa-split-1-year-on-examining-fifas-own-goal/ accessed 24 June 2026.
25. ' Fifa: EA Sports to break away from football body' (BBC News, 2022) https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-61383672 accessed 24 June 2026.
26. FIFA, 'Brand Protection' (FIFA) https://inside.fifa.com/tournament-organisation/brand-protection accessed 10 April 2026
27. Ashurst, 'Ambush Activism: Trends in Ambush Marketing' (Ashurst) https://www.ashurst.com/en/insights/ambush-activism-trends-in-ambush-marketing/ accessed 10 April 2026
28. Adam Crafton, 'FIFA's great World Cup stadium cover-up: How sponsors were hidden and who did it best' (The Athletic, 23 June 2026) https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7369850/2026/06/23/world-cup-stadium-sponsors-covered/ accessed 24 June 2026.
29. 'Levi's turns FIFA logo ban into viral World Cup moment' (MSN, June 2026) https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/insight/levi-s-turns-fifa-logo-cover-into-viral-branding-win/gm-GMA6F06C5F accessed 24 June 2026.
30. Alicebenard O Odom, Esther U Orji and Ifeanyichukwu J Ibeh, 'Protection of Patents and Industrial Designs in Nigeria: An Overview' pp 73
31. Why the 2026 World Cup ball is so high tech (BBC, 2026) https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/articles/cqlpnygwkylo accessed 2 June 2026.
32. Reddie & Grose LLP, 'The Race for the Fastest Shoe: Super Shoes, Innovation, and Intellectual Property' (Reddie & Grose, 24 April 2025) https://www.reddie.co.uk/2025/04/24/the-race-for-the-fastest-shoe-super-shoes-innovation-and-intellectual-property/ accessed 24 June 2026.
33. TT Consultants, 'Innovations in Football That Completely Changed the Game' (TT Consultants) https://ttconsultants.com/innovations-in-football-that-completely-changed-the-game/ accessed 10 April 2026.
34. Ibid.
35. Ibid.
36. MaxVal, 'Patents in Football: Road to Qatar World Cup 2022' (MaxVal) https://www.maxval.com/blog/patents-in-football-road-to-qatar-world-cup-2022/ accessed 10 April 2026.
37. Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (adopted 20 March 1883, as revised at Stockholm 14 July 1967) 828 UNTS 305, art 1.
38. Berne Convention (n 21) art 2.
39. TRIPS (n 40) art 42.
40. FIFA, 'Brand Protection' (FIFA) https://inside.fifa.com/tournament-organisation/brand-protection accessed 10 April 2026
41. Ibid.