Wireless Festival is losing corporate partners fast. Rockstar Energy and PayPal are the latest big names to pull their support for the 2026 event.
This follows a wave of anger over the decision to have Kanye West headline three nights at Finsbury Park this July.
Rockstar Energy decided to leave on April 6th, becoming the third main sponsor to drop out in less than two days. This follows moves by Pepsi and Diageo to end their partnerships. Diageo released a note on April 5th that said: “We have informed the organisers of our concerns and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival.”
PayPal is also stepping back. Even though they were not a main sponsor, they acted as a payment partner for the festival. Now, the company says its name will not appear on any of the festival’s ads or posters. Reports from the BBC and ITV News state that the company made this choice because of the heavy criticism West has received for his past hateful comments and support for Nazi beliefs.
West has not performed in the UK since 2015. His new booking has caused an uproar from activists, politicians, and charity groups. With three main sponsors and a payment partner now gone, the festival’s leadership is under a lot of heat.
As the July start date gets closer, it is unclear if the festival can keep its current plans. The loss of these companies shows how much pressure is on the event to change its lineup because of the negative attention.
