The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially begins today, and – as with every major event – the packaging industry is set to play a major role in terms of keeping fans refreshed and engaged. In this article, we give an overview on the biggest packaging-related World Cup developments so far.
FIFA backs down on bottle ban
Earlier this month, FIFA made the last-minute and slightly baffling decision to ban reusable bottles in stadiums for the duration of the World Cup.
Even more confusing was the fact that this guidance contradicted previous statements from FIFA regarding fans bringing bottles to stadiums, especially in light of the fact that roughly a quarter of all matches at the tournament could take place in temperatures exceeding 26°C.
FIFA cited the safety of fans and players as the primary motivator for this move, but sceptical spectators argue that the opportunity to “sell more bottled water at inflated prices” could be the more likely reason.
Whatever the case, FIFA quickly made a U-turn in the face of intense media and public backlash. Hard-sided reusable water bottles are still not permitted, but spectators can now bring in one factory-sealed, single-use plastic bottle each.
Coca-Cola’s Panini football sticker collab
For many football fans, particularly younger ones, the joy of a World Cup is compounded by the collection of football stickers – which can be traded and compared with others.
Coca-Cola is attempting to tap into this emotion at the 2026 World Cup through a collaboration with iconic football sticker company Panini on a project to add peel-back labels revealing collectable stickers onto its bottles.
There are twelve special-edition stickers to collect, each depicting football players from ten countries participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Bitburger backs Die Mannschaft
German beer brand Bitburger has launched a limited-edition can to coincide with the country’s appearance at this year’s World Cup.
The German national team’s classic Schwarz-Rot-Gold collar is referenced at the top of the can, and the core message of “Here’s to Number 5” is featured heavily. This refers to the overall number of World Cup wins that Germany would have if won the top honour at the 2026 edition.
Pepsi unveils thermochromic cans for football fans
A new line of limited-edition cans from PepsiCo changes colour at the “optimal drinking temperature” and gives supporters the chance to win prizes.
Out of Pepsi’s 86 million football-themed cans that will be hitting shelves this summer, only 150,000 of them will be rare ‘Perfect Chilled’ variants. These will be printed with a special ink that turns a vibrant blue colour at a drinking temperature of 8°C.
Fans who purchase the cans could also win cash to put towards a home entertainment bundle, football tickets, Pepsi Football Nation merchandise and Pepsi vouchers.
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