Fast food chain Burger King has apologised for offering a lifetime supply of Whopper burgers to Russian women who get pregnant to World Cup players.

Key points: Burger King offered 3m roubles and a lifetime supply of Whoppers to women impregnated by a World Cup player

Burger King offered 3m roubles and a lifetime supply of Whoppers to women impregnated by a World Cup player Critics called the ad demeaning

Critics called the ad demeaning The fast food chain previously included a likeness of an alleged rape victim in its advertising

Critics assailed the offer, announced on Russian social media, as sexist and demeaning.

The post was removed from Burger King's social media accounts on Tuesday (local time) but was still circulating among Russian social network users.

It promised a reward of free burgers to women who get "the best football genes" and "ensure the success of the Russian team for generations to come".

Women would also receive 3 million roubles ($64,000) under the offer, according to The Guardian.

In a statement a day after the offer was taken down, Burger King said "we are sorry about the clearly offensive promotion that the team in Russia launched online".

It said the offer "does not reflect our brand or our values and we are taking steps to ensure this type of activity does not happen again".

Advertisements in Russia often play on sexist stereotypes, notably ads around sporting events like the World Cup.

Women's rights activists have been increasingly speaking out against them.

The offer is still circulating among Russian social media users, despite being removed by Burger King. ( AP: Ricardo Mazalan )

Burger King in Russia last year made reference to a 17-year-old woman who was allegedly raped at a party, according to the Washington Post.

An image of the alleged victim holding up two fingers to indicate how much she had to drink at the party — just a little bit — had become an internet meme, and the Burger King ad showed a likeness of the woman suggesting a promotion would be on offer only a little bit longer.

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Russian politicians have also had their say on whether local women should pursue a romance with World Cup visitors.

Mikhail Degtyaryov urged Russian women to be fruitful and multiply, while fellow politician Tamara Pletnyova cautioned against World Cup romances, warning women may end up raising any resulting offspring alone, and saying children from mixed race marriages were unhappy.

AP/ABC