The FIFA World Cup 26™ has reached the final match-up and attention is fixed on the Spain vs Argentina final. Behind the spectacle, however, lies an extensive intellectual property framework that protects the tournament’s commercial value and shapes much of what supporters see, hear, wear and watch.

Now that the tournament has concluded, we have gone to ‘VAR’ for one final review of the intellectual property operating behind football’s biggest stage.

Setting the tempo: The sound of the tournament

Music has become an important part of the identity of each FIFA World Cup™, helping to build anticipation and create cultural moments that often endure long after the final match.

Official songs, anthems and other tournament music form part of a carefully managed collection of rights. Copyright may subsist separately in the musical composition, lyrics and sound recording, while performers, composers, producers, publishers and recording companies may each hold different interests.

Licensing arrangements determine how the music may be used in broadcasts, advertising, ceremonies, social media content and commercial promotions. These agreements also regulate the distribution of the revenue generated by the music.

The result is not simply a memorable tournament soundtrack, but an intellectual property asset capable of being licensed, distributed and monetised across multiple platforms and territories.

The starting line-up: Players, kits and supporters

The players on the pitch are also significant commercial assets. Their names, images, signatures and personal brands may be protected and commercialised through trade mark registrations, personality or image rights, endorsement agreements and sponsorship contracts.

The nature and extent of protection differs between jurisdictions, making contractual arrangements particularly important. Players, national associations, sponsors, kit manufacturers and tournament organisers must establish who may use a player’s identity, in which context and for what purpose.

The kits themselves bring together another collection of valuable rights. Team crests, manufacturer branding and sponsor marks may be protected as registered trade marks, while graphical and design elements may also attract copyright or design protection.

Supporter demand for replica kits and tournament merchandise makes these rights especially valuable. It also creates opportunities for counterfeiters. Unauthorised merchandise may reproduce protected crests, logos and branding without permission, diverting revenue from rights holders and exposing consumers to products that have not been subject to the standards applied to officially licensed merchandise.

What may appear to be a simple football jersey is therefore a carefully managed collection of intellectual property rights carrying substantial commercial value both on and off the pitch.

Creating a recognisable formation: Mascots and visual identity

Official tournament mascots demonstrate how a single character or group of characters can be supported by several forms of intellectual property protection.

Their illustrations and artistic features may be protected by copyright, while their names, images and associated branding may be registered as trade marks. Licensing arrangements then allow authorised partners to reproduce them on clothing, toys, stationery, digital products and other merchandise while enabling the rights holder to control the quality and context of their use.

The same principles apply across the tournament’s broader visual identity. Its emblem, colour palette, posters, signage, graphics and official typeface work together to create a consistent and immediately recognisable brand.

Protection for a typeface can differ between jurisdictions, but the underlying font software and certain original design elements may attract copyright protection. Trade mark rights, design rights and contractual brand guidelines can provide additional control over how the visual identity is reproduced and applied.

From the stadium to the screen: Broadcasting and digital content

For millions of supporters, the FIFA World Cup™ is experienced through television, streaming services and digital platforms rather than from inside a stadium.

The audiovisual production of each match, broadcast signals, commentary, graphics and related content represent commercially valuable rights. These are licensed to broadcasters and media partners, frequently on an exclusive territorial basis.

Unauthorised streaming, rebroadcasting and distribution can undermine both the rights holder and the substantial investment made by licensed broadcasters. Monitoring and enforcement must therefore extend beyond traditional television to websites, social media platforms, mobile applications and other digital channels.

Clear licensing structures, technological monitoring and coordinated enforcement are therefore essential parts of protecting the value of tournament broadcasting rights.

Defending the brand: Guidelines, licensing and enforcement

FIFA protects an extensive portfolio that includes its name, tournament titles, official emblems, slogans, posters and the FIFA World Cup Trophy. These assets may be protected through copyright, registered trade marks and other legal mechanisms, including passing off and unfair competition laws.

Brand guidelines and licensing programmes help authorised sponsors, broadcasters and commercial partners understand how these assets may be used. They also inform businesses and members of the public about activities that could create an unauthorised association with the tournament.

Effective brand protection may include marketplace surveillance, monitoring of trade mark registers, online marketplaces and social media and legal action where the scale or commercial effect of an infringement warrants it.

Securing rights is therefore only one part of the strategy. Those rights must also be monitored and enforced if their exclusivity, reputation and commercial value are to be maintained.

Beyond the final whistle: Lessons for rights holders

The FIFA World Cup™ illustrates how intellectual property can turn names, designs, sounds, content and experiences into an interconnected commercial ecosystem.

The same principles apply beyond major sporting events. Businesses should understand which intellectual property assets they own, confirm that ownership has been properly transferred, register important rights where appropriate and establish clear licensing arrangements before allowing third parties to use them.

The next time you watch a match, look beyond the score. From the music and match footage to the players’ kits, merchandise, broadcast graphics and trophy, intellectual property is present in almost every part of the experience.