Pepsi, Diageo, and Rockstar have all pulled their sponsorship from the Wireless Festival in London following backlash over the booking of Kanye West, also known as Ye, as headliner. Pepsi announced its withdrawal on Sunday, ending a decade-long partnership, followed by Diageo, owner of Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan. Rockstar also withdrew, while PayPal will no longer allow its branding to be used, though it has not completely pulled out.
The festival, scheduled for July 10-12 at Finsbury Park, has faced condemnation from UK political figures. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the booking “deeply concerning” due to West’s past antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey suggested West should be banned from entering the UK, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan distanced the city from the decision, stating that West’s comments are “offensive and wrong.”
Despite the controversy, remaining sponsors include Budweiser, Beatbox, and Drip. The festival had been officially known as “Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless” since 2015. West’s booking has sparked outrage on social media, with many calling for boycotts.
West’s scheduled appearance follows a controversial period in which he released a song titled “Heil Hitler” in 2024, later renamed “Hallelujah” with altered lyrics. He also sold swastika T-shirts online before the site was taken down. In January, West published a full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal, citing treatment for a brain condition, and gave an email interview to Vanity Fair expressing contrition. However, some have questioned the authenticity of these statements.
West recently performed two nights at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where he did not address the controversies. The Wireless Festival has not commented on the sponsor withdrawals.
