Booking Ye to headline London’s Wireless Festival is already costing the event its major sponsors, and the fallout isn’t finished yet. Pepsi announced Sunday (April 5) that it is withdrawing its sponsorship of Wireless Festival, ending an 11-year partnership that had the event formally branded as “Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless.” The company offered no extended explanation, issuing only a single line to multiple outlets: “Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival.” Hours later, Diageo, the drinks conglomerate that owns Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan, announced it was also out. “We have informed the organizers of our concerns, and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival,” a company spokesperson confirmed. Neither brand mentioned Ye by name, but both announcements came directly in the wake of Ye’s booking and the political firestorm it ignited.
The withdrawals put the remaining partners, including PayPal, Budweiser, Rockstar Energy Drink, and Beatbox, under mounting pressure to take a public position. Rockstar Energy is owned by PepsiCo in the UK, making its continued association particularly complicated. As of Sunday night, none had issued statements.
The political condemnation arrived before the sponsors moved. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told The Guardian the booking was “deeply concerning,” adding: “Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted clearly and firmly wherever it appears. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe and secure.” London Mayor Sadiq Khan distanced City Hall from the decision, telling Complex that Ye’s past comments are “offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values,” while noting the booking was made by festival organizers, not the city. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey went further, calling on the government to ban Ye from entering the UK entirely, a request the Home Office has not yet formally received.
The Jewish Leadership Council also weighed in, telling The Guardian: “It is deeply irresponsible for Wireless festival to be headlining Kanye West. The UK Jewish community is facing record levels of antisemitism, including a terrorist attack in Manchester, the attack on ambulances in Golders Green and foiled plots which would have killed many more.”
