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Major corporate sponsors Pepsi and Diageo have pulled out of London's Wireless Festival following the announcement that rapper Kanye West will headline the event in July, citing concerns over his history of antisemitic statements.
Pepsi, which had been the festival's headline partner since 2015 under the "Pepsi MAX Presents Wireless" branding, confirmed its withdrawal Sunday.
"Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival," the company said in a statement to multiple British news organizations, without citing a specific reason.
Diageo, whose brands Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan were listed as partner sponsors, followed hours later.
"We have informed the organizers of our concerns, and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless Festival."
Festival organizer Live Nation has not responded to requests for comment.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the booking was "deeply concerning," adding that West had been scheduled to perform "despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism."
Starmer said in a statement to The Sun that "antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears."
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also called for West to be banned from entering the UK earlier in the week, saying the country needed to "get tougher on antisemitism."
London Mayor Sadiq Khan distanced City Hall from the festival, which is scheduled to take place at Finsbury Park on July 10–12. "We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London's values," a spokesperson for the mayor said, adding that the booking was made by festival organizers and not City Hall.
Campaign Against Antisemitism, a British charity, urged Starmer not to be a "bystander" and called on the government to ban West from entering the country, suggesting he could be excluded as a non-citizen whose presence is not "conducive to the public good."
The Jewish Leadership Council called the booking "deeply irresponsible," saying West "has repeatedly used his platform to spread antisemitism and pro-Nazi messaging."
The controversy in the UK follows West's return to live performance in the United States, where he played two sold-out nights at SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles area. Guest performers included Lauryn Hill, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver.
At the second show, West told the crowd: "They said I'd never be back in the States. Two sold-out concerts, baby!"
West's European tour has drawn criticism beyond the UK. The mayor of Marseille said the rapper was "not welcome" to perform at a scheduled concert in France in June.
As of Sunday, the Wireless Festival website continued to advertise both West's three-night appearance and Pepsi's sponsorship, with tickets set to go on sale Tuesday. No other artists have been announced for the lineup.
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