The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, runs from June 11 to July 19, and across Brazil bars, restaurants, hotels, and shopping centers set up screens and themed promotions to draw in fans. Amid the expectation of higher revenue, one question keeps coming up among business owners: is it necessary to pay any “rights” to show the matches? And what, exactly, can be charged to the customer? The answers run through intellectual property rules that are often overlooked.
What public viewing is, and why the topic causes confusion
Public viewing, the exhibition of matches outside the stadium, takes place on screens installed in bars, restaurants, hotels, shopping centers, public squares, and event spaces. It is a well-established part of football culture, but it brings together distinct rights, and that is precisely where the confusion lies.
When a venue turns on the television to show a match, two sets of rules come into play at the same time. On one side are the broadcasting rights to the sporting event, which belong to whoever holds the media rights to the competition. On the other is the copyright over any music played on the premises, administered in Brazil by ECAD, the central bureau for the collection and distribution of music royalties.
These two rights are often treated as if they were the same thing. They are not, and understanding the difference is the first step to enjoying the World Cup without legal risk.
Who owns the matches: broadcasting rights and arena rights
In Brazil, the transmission of sporting events is a legally protected asset. The General Sports Law (Law No. 14,597/2023), in its articles 159 and 160, recognizes the so-called arena right (direito de arena): the exclusive prerogative of the organizing bodies to authorize or prohibit the capture, transmission, and reproduction of the event’s images.
In the case of the World Cup, these rights belong to FIFA, which licenses them to broadcasters in each country and whose regulations reaffirm that it owns all intellectual property in the broadcast. A match may therefore only be shown from an authorized signal: free-to-air television or a pay-TV package contracted for commercial use, never a residential subscription. Pirated or adapted residential signals expose the business to liability.
Commercial and non-commercial exhibition: FIFA’s rules
FIFA’s public viewing regulations sort exhibitions into three categories, and the classification determines whether a license is required. The starting point favors businesses: showing matches in bars, restaurants, and hotels is non-commercial when it is part of the venue’s ordinary course of business and there is no additional commercial activity tied to the event, such as an admission fee or sponsorship. In that case there is no license to obtain, only rules to follow.
The exhibition becomes commercial when the venue charges an admission fee, direct or indirect, exploits sponsorship tied to the event, or otherwise gains a specific commercial benefit. There is also a special non-commercial category, for large-scale non-profit events. Under the international version of the regulations, which applies to Brazil, this threshold is more than 5,000 spectators; in the host countries, the limit is lower, at 1,000.
Both commercial and special non-commercial exhibitions require a specific license, obtained from FIFA or from the broadcaster holding the rights in the country, with a fee calculated according to the venue’s capacity. For most businesses, this makes the undertaking unfeasible.
The warning applies doubly to larger venues. Hotels hosting supporter events in ballrooms and shopping centers installing screens in food courts move more easily toward these licensable categories, by capacity, charging, or sponsorship. The signal must also be shown live and unaltered, and a FIFA license does not replace municipal authorizations for common areas and safety.
What a venue cannot charge the customer
Showing a match does not authorize any charge tied directly to the game. The guidance of Abrasel, the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants, and the consumer protection authorities is clear on this point, and the Consumer Protection Code (Law No. 8,078/1990) requires clear, advance information about any amount charged.
In practice, the following charges are prohibited:
- An admission fee or entrance charge required solely for the customer to watch the match.
- A transmission fee or “screen fee,” amounts embedded in the bill under the pretext of showing the game.
- A couvert artístico, the cover charge for live entertainment, since a football match on television does not qualify as a live cultural or musical performance.
On the other hand, the charges that are part of the venue’s ordinary operation remain permitted:
- The regular consumption of food and drinks, at the prices on the menu.
- A minimum consumption requirement, provided that the amount is fully converted into products and the customer is informed clearly and conspicuously before entering.
- The 10% service charge, which follows the general rule and is optional for the consumer.
In other words, a venue may profit from what it offers, namely food, drink, and experience, but it cannot turn the broadcast itself into a source of revenue.
ECAD and music copyright: a charge that exists, but not for the World Cup
This is the point that causes the most misunderstanding. Many business owners believe that ECAD charges “for showing the game.” That is not the case. ECAD’s authority derives from article 68 of the Copyright Law (Law No. 9,610/1998) and reaches the public performance of musical works. A football match is not a musical work.
What triggers the ECAD charge is the music played on the premises, whether in a food court, a hotel lobby, or the audio of the television itself. It is a continuous obligation, independent of the World Cup: a venue that already plays music pays a monthly license all year, calculated by the location and the form of use, not “per song” or “per event.” The World Cup creates no new charge.
FIFA’s own rules reinforce this separation: when listing the authorizations a venue must secure on its own, the public viewing regulations expressly include the collective management societies for copyright, which in Brazil means ECAD. Dealing with music copyright is a parallel obligation, not something that showing the match sets aside.
The confusion has a concrete bridge in the couvert artístico. Because there is no live performance during the exhibition of a match, the venue cannot charge it. An event with live music during the World Cup, by contrast, makes the ECAD charge fall on that music, never on the match. For a general overview, the firm’s frequently asked questions on copyright are a useful reference.
Use of FIFA and World Cup trademarks: extra care in advertising
Advertising is another sensitive area. FIFA’s rules permit only a very restricted use of the official name: a venue may cite the title “FIFA World Cup 2026™” in a standard font, solely to inform the date and place of an exhibition, provided this creates no association with FIFA or the tournament. That editorial use, however, is barred for certain venues, including restaurants and breweries. Logos, the emblem, the mascot, and the image of the trophy may never be used without authorization.
Because the line is narrow and the interpretation rests with FIFA, the safest course for any business is to avoid the official marks and use neutral terms, such as “match times” or “live matches.” Associating a venue with the tournament without an official link may constitute ambush marketing, a practice FIFA fights vigorously and that can lead to notifications and lawsuits. The subject connects directly to unfair competition. It is also important not to associate the event with the CBF (the Brazilian Football Confederation) by promoting it with the crest of the Seleção, the Brazilian national team, or anything that evokes the trade dress of the national side.
The World Cup is an opportunity, as long as it is handled well
The World Cup is one of the calendar’s greatest commercial opportunities for bars, restaurants, hotels, and shopping centers, but it demands attention to intellectual property rules so the celebration does not turn into a legal headache. Distinguishing the broadcasting rights, the ECAD charge, and the use of trademarks is essential to profit safely. The team at Ricci Intellectual Property follows these matters closely and is available to guide companies that wish to assess their risks and protect their business in Brazil. Learn more at riccipi.com.br.
