Pepsi, Diageo and Rockstar Pull Sponsorship from Wireless Festival Over Kanye West Booking
The Wireless Festival in London is facing a major commercial crisis after several of its biggest sponsors withdrew their backing over the weekend following the announcement that Kanye West will headline the event in July 2026, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan among those condemning the booking.
Pepsi, which had been the festival's primary sponsor for over a decade, announced its withdrawal on Sunday 5 April, followed by Diageo — owner of Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan — later the same day. On Monday 6 April, Rockstar Energy also withdrew its sponsorship, and PayPal stated it would no longer allow its branding to be used at the event. Despite the withdrawals, all brands were still listed on the festival's website as of Monday morning.
Background
West, who is scheduled to headline Wireless for three nights in July, has faced sustained criticism in recent years over a series of antisemitic remarks and public expressions of admiration for Nazi ideology. In January 2026, he published a full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal, attributing his past behaviour to a "four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour" and claiming to be receiving treatment for a brain condition. However, the sincerity of the apology has been widely questioned.
His latest album, "Bully," debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart on Sunday 5 April, with critics noting it was less controversial in its lyrics than previous projects.
Key Developments
Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed deep concern over the booking on Sunday, citing West's past antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism. Starmer emphasised the importance of confronting antisemitism and ensuring Jewish people feel safe in Britain. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey had previously called for West to be banned from entering the UK entirely.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also distanced the city's government from the festival, stating that West's past comments and actions are "offensive and wrong" and do not reflect London's values. The Jewish Leadership Council described the booking as "deeply irresponsible," arguing that West has repeatedly used his platform to spread antisemitism and pro-Nazi messages.
Why It Matters
The Wireless Festival is one of the UK's most prominent music events, attracting tens of thousands of attendees to its London venue each year. The loss of multiple major sponsors represents a significant financial blow to the event's organisers, and raises questions about whether the festival can proceed with West as headliner without further commercial damage.
The controversy also reignites a broader debate about the responsibilities of music festivals and venues when booking artists with histories of hate speech — and whether commercial considerations should ever outweigh concerns about public safety and community impact.
What's Next
Festival organisers have not yet commented publicly on the sponsor withdrawals or indicated whether they intend to reconsider West's booking. Jewish community groups are expected to maintain pressure on the festival in the coming weeks, and further sponsor withdrawals cannot be ruled out. The event is scheduled to take place in July 2026 at its traditional London venue.
