Bizarre World Cup rule: Jamal Musiala is in trouble with FIFA | OneFootball

Jamal Musiala made headlines on the field during Germany’s World Cup opener against Curaçao. Even before kickoff, however, the Bayern star found himself in the spotlight—unintentionally—due to a curious FIFA regulation.

The 2026 World Cup stands not only for top-class soccer but also for strict marketing rules. During its prestigious tournament, FIFA meticulously ensures that only official sponsors are visibly displayed.

Even the tournament’s biggest stars are affected by this.

Before Germany’s opening match against Curaçao, Jamal Musiala therefore had to take an unusual step. The FC Bayern forward took the field as usual wearing his Beats by Dre headphones. However, the familiar brand logo on the headphones was suddenly no longer visible.

FIFA forces Musiala to cover it up

The reason: Beats by Dre has been part of the Apple Group since 2014 and is not one of the official sponsors of the World Cup.

As a result, Musiala was instructed to cover up the distinctive “b” logo on his headphones. Without further ado, the emblem was covered with a strip of black tape.

Particularly noteworthy: Musiala is himself the brand’s spokesperson and regularly appears in the company’s campaigns. Nevertheless, FIFA made no exception in this case.

Sponsorship rules apply to everyone

Musiala is by no means an isolated case.

FIFA is pursuing a clear strategy at the World Cup and consistently protects the rights of its official partners. Visible advertising from companies that are not part of the sponsor group is to be prevented as much as possible.

This applies not only to players but also to the tournament venues.

As a result, several well-known stadium names had to be changed during the World Cup. MetLife Stadium is officially listed as “New York New Jersey Stadium,” Levi’s Stadium as “San Francisco Bay Area Stadium,” and SoFi Stadium as “Los Angeles Stadium.”

The situation in San Francisco has recently received a great deal of attention. There, Levi’s was required to cover its large logo on the stadium at FIFA’s instruction. However, the company responded creatively and turned the situation into a marketing campaign.

The logo was covered with a striking white canopy. At the same time, Levi’s adapted its logos on its own social media channels accordingly.

The campaign spread rapidly online and garnered positive reactions worldwide. Many users celebrated the creative execution, ultimately giving the company exactly the attention that the FIFA rule was actually intended to prevent.

Musiala prefers to impress on the field

Photo: Getty Images

For Jamal Musiala, however, the discussion about his headphones is likely to be quickly put to rest.

After the curious incident, the Bayern star focused on the game and delivered a strong performance in the 7-1 victory over Curaçao. With his goal to make it 4-1, he made a significant statement and showed that he is increasingly finding his form at the World Cup.

Even though FIFA makes no compromises when it comes to sponsorship issues, Musiala would likely much rather make headlines with his actions on the field than with taped-over headphones.