Budweiser World Cup Sponsorship Deal Under Threat

Budweiser may be forced to pull its sponsorship for the next World Cup as a result of the tough French ban on alcohol advertising.

Budweiser, one of many sponsors for the event which normally pulls in record amounts of TV viewers from around the world, is understood to be in negotiations with the French authorities to try and reach a compromise. The company is also understood to be lobbying the European Commission to intervene and rule on the dispute.

One plan being considered, according to the Sunday Times, is to make stadiums hosting games a “duty-free zone”, which would allow the French to argue that they were not infringing on the anti-alcohol laws.