BACKGROUND: The Fédération Internationale de Football Association’s (FIFA) has committed to tobacco-control measures including a ban on advertisements, promotions, and sponsorships (TAPS) during its events. The Tobacco Enforcement and Reporting Movement (TERM) documented how the tobacco industry (TI) successfully used the 2022 FIFA World Cup (WC) to promote its products in Indonesia, India and Mexico social media platforms. This is a public health concern because tobacco marketing in sports causes youth experimentation and endears tobacco brands to them.
METHODS: TERM is a digital media monitoring and reporting system that offers rapid, qualitative insights into online tobacco marketing gathered by an artificial intelligence-driven monitoring tool. The content analysis of publicly available posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube were conducted by trained analysts using a theory-driven codebook.
RESULTS: A total of 350 WC related posts from September to December 2022 were analysed. More than 50 accounts are operated or associated with brand-extension products, third-party retailers, and community marketing accounts on football, music, etc. which promoted live WC viewing parties sponsored by Gudang Garam. Djarum Super Soccer community-marketing account had the highest number of posts and promoted limited edition WC cigarette packs. The e-cigarette GeekVape, promoted products designed with the flags of participating country teams, conducted price promotions and product giveaways to its followers.
CONCLUSIONS: TI interference through indirect marketing strategies such as releasing limited edition tobacco packs, e-cigarette designs and promoting tobacco-sponsored live viewing parties through social media platforms are rampant. It is illegal for the TI to sponsor sports events, however, it is still happening through non-tobacco related accounts. The next FIFA WC is scheduled from June 14 - July 13 2026, youths around the world will be watching. Countries, especially Indonesia where WC is followed closely, must act quickly to ban online TAPS to protect youths from the harms of online TAPS.