{"id":771330,"date":"2026-07-01T04:11:33","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T04:11:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/771330\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T04:11:33","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T04:11:33","slug":"nfl-teams-give-fifa-world-cup-their-drummers-but-must-follow-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/771330\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Teams Give FIFA World Cup Their Drummers but Must Follow Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tIn the months leading up to the 2026 World Cup<\/a>, FIFA<\/a> asked NFL<\/a> teams whose stadiums would be hosting the tournament to provide drumlines and cheerleaders for matches, according to people familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n

\n\tFor both FIFA and the NFL, the inclusion of classic U.S. marching bands and pom-pom toting cheerleaders was a way to inject some real American football flair within the apex of f\u00fatbol.<\/p>\n

\n\tThere was just one catch: The performers, like the NFL stadiums themselves, would be subject to FIFA\u2019s \u201cclean venue\u201d policy, meaning they could not sport any corporate branding in conflict with official FIFA partners. In practice, that has meant drummers who traditionally wore Nike<\/a>-issued NFL jerseys would have to cover up their swooshes, since rival Adidas<\/a> is the official partner of FIFA.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe implications of FIFA\u2019s clean-stadium policy have been well documented in the months leading up to the World Cup, with virtually every participating venue going to extreme lengths to cover up stadium sponsors. Denim jeans maker Levi\u2019s, which owns the naming rights to the San Francisco 49ers stadium in Santa Clara, has even poked fun<\/a> at the required tarp covering its logo during the World Cup.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut the extension of the sponsor-free requirements to uniforms of entertainers performing at the request of FIFA has not been previously reported.<\/p>\n

\n\tAt last week\u2019s group stage match between Cura\u00e7ao and Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, members of the Eagles drumline sported patches over their green-and-white football jerseys, replacing the Nike manufacturer logo.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cSlight uniform modifications were made to comply with the established World Cup regulations and guidelines set forth by FIFA,\u201d an Eagles spokesperson told Sportico about the team\u2019s drumline, adding that \u201cperforming in front of the FIFA crowds this summer was an exciting and unique opportunity to introduce our entertainment teams to the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tA spokesman for FIFA did not have an immediate comment. Spokespeople for Nike did not respond to multiple requests for comment.<\/p>\n

\n\tOther NFL teams took more drastic action. The 49ers are providing drumline performers for matches at Levi\u2019s Stadium, albeit not in the typical 49ers jerseys worn by the \u201cNiner Noise\u201d squad, according to a person familiar with the matter; instead, the drummers have worn<\/a> plain white T-shirts and white Adidas shorts.<\/p>\n

\n\tA spokeswoman for the 49ers deferred questions about the drumline to FIFA.<\/p>\n

\n\tDrumlines and cheerleaders have been tapped to perform within stadiums during some match hydration breaks, meaning they\u2019re not regular fixtures of World Cup television broadcasts and are there primarily for the entertainment of fans attending in person. In several cases, drumlines are not directly employed by their NFL teams but are contracted from professional performing arts companies.<\/p>\n

\n\tBen Nadler is director of BD Entertainment, which produces professional drumlines for dozens of corporate clients including for NFL, NBA, NHL and MLS teams. Among them is the New York Giants, whose G-Line drumline has performed at several World Cup matches at Met Life in East Rutherford, N.J.\u2014also the site of the July 19 final.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe G-Line uniform \u201cdidn\u2019t have too much obvious concern\u201d for compliance with the FIFA rules since members typically perform in T-shirts, Nadler said.<\/p>\n

\n\tAsked whether FIFA or the NFL teams are paying for the entertainer performances, Nadler declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Miami Dolphins also declined to comment, while spokespeople for the Giants, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs did not have or did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n