BP PLC's Castrol oil brand, Johnson & Johnson and tire maker Continental AG said they haven't renewed agreements with soccer ruling body FIFA to sponsor the World Cup.
The three were among eight second-tier sponsors of last year's tournament in Brazil. The next edition is in Russia in 2018. The trio join Emirates airline in breaking with FIFA, which has been dogged by corruption scandals. None of the three sponsors leaving cited the scandals as a reason.
"Rotations at the end of a sponsorship cycle are commonplace in the sports industry," FIFA marketing director Thierry Weil said.
FIFA is in advanced negotiations with companies at all sponsorship categories, Weil said without giving details. The withdrawals were reported Friday by the Daily Telegraph.
In November, the Zurich-based ruling body said it sent a complaint to Swiss authorities about the "possible misconduct of individual persons" in the 2010 vote that selected Russia and Qatar as World Cup hosts.
Continental, which sponsored the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups, said it has changed to a "more regional approach" by aligning itself with soccer brands in the United States, Europe and Asia, Alexander Bahlmann, a Hanover, Germany-based spokesman for Continental, said.
BP's Castrol, a car lubricant brand, is switching its focus back to motor sports after its "bit unusual" sponsorship of soccer's biggest tournament in 2010 and 2014, spokesman Robert Wine said.
SundayMonday Business on 01/25/2015