American fast food couldn’t miss out on the biggest football tournament ever held on its soil. Since June 4, McDonald’s has been offering its “FIFA World Cup 26 Meal,” a menu that comes with nine collectible cups featuring football legends: Christian Pulisic, Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Ronaldinho, Lamine Yamal, Son Heung-min, Alphonso Davies, Santiago Giménez — and Grimace, the house mascot, thrown in for good measure.
The campaign reflects a broader trend among major American chains riding the event: Jason’s Deli launched a promotion where every goal scored by the United States team unlocks loyalty rewards, Baskin-Robbins released a dedicated ice cream flavor, and several chains have multiplied their “World Cup special” menus since the June 11 kickoff.
Marketing first and foremost, sure — but marketing that says a lot about the place this World Cup already holds in American daily life, all the way down to the drive-thru line.