The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) states that the UK will consume an estimated 2 billion canned drinks during the FIFA World Cup 2026, according to Recycle Now and Every Can Counts, with a market value of around £28.5 million as recycling - enough to pay the transfer fees of some of the event’s top players.
The organization says that aluminium cans have a recycling value of around £1,000 a tonne, meaning that the recycled cans could buy John Stones (£11M), Jordan Pickford (£14M) and a third of Harry Kane (£75M) from the England team, and Captain Andy Robertson (£6.5M), Aaron Hickey (£15M) and John McGinn (£18M) from the Scottish team. WRAP claims that every aluminium can sold during FIFA World Cup 2026 can be recycled and reused for every future World Cup tournament.
The NGO’s Recycle Now campaign aims to promote the recyclability of cans to fans at home and when out and about, using the phrases ‘Recycle your tinny for the winny!’ and ‘Don’t binny your tinny!’. Not-for-profit Every Can Counts has a wider schedule of activity planned, including attending some of the UK’s most popular music festivals.
WRAP adds that 10 billion aluminium cans are recycled across the UK every year, said to prevent 3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Chris Latham-Warde, programme manager for Every Can Counts, commented:
“With billions of drink cans expected to be used during the World Cup, the tournament is an important opportunity to highlight the importance of recycling in our everyday lives. Each empty drink can collected and recycled helps keep aluminium in circulation and can be back on shelves as a new can in as little as 60 days.”
In related news, German beer brand Bitburger launched a new series of collectable, limited-edition cans in May, coinciding with Germany’s appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The use of white is consistent across Bitburger’s visual identity and Germany’s famous home kits, while the top of the cans features an allusion to the iconic Schwarz-Rot-Gold collar featured on the shirt.
This month PepsiCo kicked off a football-themed brand campaign with limited-edition thermochromic cans, said to change colour at the ‘optimal’ drinking temperature and give fans the chance to win exclusive prizes. The 330ml cans are printed with advanced temperature-sensitive ink that begins to react at 12°C, then turns a vibrant blue colour at the ‘optimal’ drinking temperature of 8°C.
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