Our pick of the 2026 World Cup merchandise. From Lego to Labubus and everything in between

My first World Cup memory is not of a moment on the pitch, but a material one.

During the 1998 tournament in France, McDonald’s were giving away World Cup-themed Happy Meal toys, one of them being a picture of Footix, the cockerel mascot, embossed onto a fabric frisbee. I was five years old, but still remember this blue, red and yellow character vividly. One of my siblings had a tiny version of Footix, too.

Memorabilia triggers nostalgia for most people, especially as our experiences of live sporting events are increasingly bound by entrances or exits through gift shops.

For the World Cup, merchandising started at the 1966 tournament hosted in England. Willie the Lion was FIFA’s first World Cup mascot, and the first linked to a major sporting event that you could buy. World Cup Willie changed the game.

Since then, the art of selling products at major events has become a sport in itself and is now a huge —and lucrative — part of the tournament.

This summer’s World Cup in North America, Canada and Mexico could be the most lucrative sporting event in history, with FIFA’s overall revenues set to top $10billion (£7.4bn), according to a 2025 report from London-based agency Pitch Marketing Group.

But what products are worth putting onto the shopping list? To save you time, I’ve browsed some of the weird and wonderful items available to fans.

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In homage to Willie, we have to start with the 2026 trio of mascots. There are three host nations and, therefore, three mascots. And, yes, you can buy them all in various forms.

Maple the Moose represents Canada; Mexico has Zayu the Jaguar and Clutch the Bald Eagle is for the United States.

They form a fierce attacking front three, especially when it comes to how football’s global governing body will sell this World Cup. There are Maple, Zayu and Clutch keychains, Squishmallows plushies — a highly collectible range of children’s pillows — and T-shirts. And let’s not forget the pins, the figurines and caps.

But the one product that caught the eye is the pewter statues made by Royal Selangor, the World Cup’s “exclusive licensee for designing and manufacturing pewter merchandise”. Pewter is a malleable metal made mostly of tin. Royal Selangor say they are bringing pewter and passion to World Cup fans. They are certainly bringing something, and it will cost £210 ($282.90) on FIFA’s website — a miniature statue of all three mascots.

There are also Pewter tankards, photo frames, coasters, a limited edition trophy… you get the gist.

Let me take you to the summer of 2025 when Labubu dolls were at the height of their viral craze. Labubu have released a small, soccer-themed collection which is spearheaded by their famous spiky-toothed, blue-furred doll wearing cleats, its own kit and clutching a tiny replica trophy.

Standing at 38cm tall, this doll will set you back around £110 ($149.99). Gremlins walked the earth so Labubu monsters could run to a World Cup.

Only one team of the 48 nations will get to lift the World Cup trophy on July 19, but the creatives at Lego want to “make every kid a winner” with their replica trophy. But time and money will be needed. You can build your own 2,842-piece trophy for £159.99 ($215.56).

Lego also have a collaboration with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vinicius Junior. and Kylian Mbappe.

With 104 games to watch, fans may not have time over the next four weeks or so to build everything that’s available. But there are options, at least.

Speaking of expensive hobbies, one enduring World Cup pastime is filling the Panini sticker book, something I’ve never managed but good luck to anyone who has, or will attempt to, this summer. FIFA and Panini’s partnership, which started when the World Cup was first in Mexico, back in 1970, is set to end after the 2030 World Cup.

Generations of fans have spent hours — and a lot of money — collecting stickers of players to fill the iconic books made by the Italian brand, whose contract will be taken over by Fanatics.

In a clever marketing ploy from fizzy drinks specialists Coca-Cola, there are exclusive stickers to find in selected Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coke Zero bottles. Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Virgil van Dijk are among the 12 players who could pop up.

And just when you think FIFA have forgotten to stamp their World Cup branding on something, they surprise you.

Their partnership with luxury candlemakers Literie is, they say, “for the fans who want it all”. So, for £103 ($140), you can get three limited-edition candles that are said to smell like each host nation.

We have dahlia and pepper for Mexico; hints of grass and bergamot for the U.S. and, of course, there is maple in the Canadian candle, with some amber thrown in for good measure.

Literie, founded by Erica Werber in New York City initially as a pandemic project, has history when it comes to famous collaborations, having previously worked with Netflix show Emily in Paris and one of the four tennis majors, the US Open.

For those who love a bubble bath with candles, you could be in for a treat.

For fans wanting to buy on the move, vending machines are up and running. Catching The Athletic’s eye at a train station in Philadelphia was a giant gold World Cup chain. For around £29 ($39.99), the question is to swag or not to swag. I’ll leave that up to you.

There was a Monopoly game in that vending machine, too. What’s most exciting from the famous board-game makers is their World Cup edition of the card game Monopoly Deal. Yes, it will get competitive. Yes, you will fall out with the people you love when playing it. But don’t let that put you off.

It will be a hit in my household, especially as it is one of the cheapest things you can buy at £7.99 (around $11).

But after trawling through all 926 items on FIFA’s products page, my player of the tournament is: the posters.

These are the real bargain of this tournament. If you are looking for a cheap, lightweight keepsake, there are 16 host cities to choose from. My favourites are Dallas, Seattle, Boston, Guadalajara and Los Angeles.

The posters are £15 ($20) apiece, or you can get the water-bottle version for £30 ($40) and the T-shirts are £30 each. The football-jersey version of every poster costs £280 ($375).

While I won’t be among those selecting ‘add to basket’ for the jerseys, there are some items that make the wish list.