Photo Credit: NIKHIL
Pepsi and Diageo have abruptly withdrawn their sponsorships of Wireless Festival following the news that Kanye West will headline the three-day event.
Pepsi has announced its withdrawal as lead sponsor of the Wireless Festival in London this summer, just days after the news that antisemitic rapper Kanye West would be headlining the three-day event. Spirits giant Diageo similarly withdrew its support for the festival.
West, now dubbed Ye, has drawn extreme criticism and lost lucrative business deals as a result of his antisemitic and pro-Nazi tirades in recent years. Prime Minister Keir Starmer remarked that it was “deeply concerning” that the rapper was scheduled to headline Wireless Festival, and other British officials have also voiced concerns.
“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears,” said Starmer. “Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe.”
The festival is marketed as “Pepsi presents Wireless,” meaning the event’s main sponsor has now backed out. The company issued a simple statement: “Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival.”
While the festival’s website still lists all the previously announced sponsors, Rockstar Energy Drink is also assumed to be dropping out, given that the brand is owned by PepsiCo in the UK. However, this has not yet been confirmed.
Similarly, two of Diageo’s biggest brands, Johnnie Walker whisky and Captain Morgan rum, have also been listed on the Wireless website as partners of the event. While not confirmed, it is widely believed that their sponsorships will be withdrawn as well.
“We have informed the organizers of our concerns, and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival,” said a spokesperson for the company.
That leaves Budweiser, PayPal, and Beatbox among the sponsors who have been urged to withdraw from the festival, but who have not issued a response as of Sunday night. Notably, Wireless is a Live Nation/Ticketmaster event, so their water brand Liquid Death should also remain on the ticket.
However, while it makes sense that brands want to jump ship so as not to be associated with a persona non grata, it’s not actually clear if Ye will receive permission to play the event.
Naturally, the U.S. native didn’t need clearance to play his recent SoFi dates in Los Angeles—but entering the UK will require permission for entry by a foreign citizen, for which he could still be refused.
Last year, West was barred from entering Australia after releasing a song called “Heil Hitler” and declaring himself a Nazi, among other offenses, including selling T-shirts featuring a swastika on his clothing website. More recently, he has apologized for his antisemitic behavior, blaming his bipolar disorder for his having “lost touch with reality.”
