The news: McDonald’s will no longer sponsor the FIFA World Cup, ending a 32-year partnership, per Adweek. The move comes after the fast-food chain’s most recent World Cup campaign—its biggest ever, reaching over 110 countries—underperformed internal expectations and failed to reignite growth in the US.

What it means: McDonald’s decision to terminate its FIFA sponsorship is part of a broader shakeup in the quick service restaurant (QSR) chain’s marketing strategy. The company is slimming down its promotional calendar, concentrating resources on campaigns that promote the brand and support its taste, quality, and value initiatives. McDonald’s is also aiming to reduce its reliance on external IP to ensure that its marketing remains distinct and exert greater control over the creative process.

While the company isn’t ending all sports sponsorship—it will continue to back the All-American Games and France’s top-tier soccer league—its FIFA exit suggests that McDonald’s plans to take a more selective approach to its sporting investments. McDonald’s choice to trim its investment puts it at odds with most other companies, which are ramping up spending in live sports and marquee events like the Super Bowl to counter fragmented TV audiences. Seventy-seven percent of CMOs worldwide plan to invest more in sports sponsorship this year, according to a Dentsu report.

Implications for marketers: McDonald’s disappointing World Cup results show that brands can’t rely on an event’s reach alone to deliver meaningful uplift. By terminating its long-held partnership with FIFA, McDonald’s can reallocate resources to campaigns that reinforce its value proposition and drive long-term engagement, rather than limited-time partnerships whose benefits may fade once the event ends. Brands should evaluate sponsorship returns against other marketing options and not assume major events justify their costs.