Walmart scores exclusive Coca-Cola World Cup soccer ball bottle
For years, McDonald's would bring the McRib back in limited locations for a short period.
The tactic created social media buzz whenever the sandwich was spotted, leading to people sharing sightings, and even the creation of a website that tracks releases around the world.
"If McRibs were available 365 days a year, people might not be as energized about buying it. There certainly wouldn't be any need for headlines proclaiming its return if it had never gone away. Bringing it back every so often adds to the excitement," McDonald's Senior Marketing Director, Marta Fearon, told the Associated Press, according to Mashed.
McDonald's has long used limited-time McRib releases, a strategy many marketers view as a way to build anticipation, generate media coverage, and keep the sandwich top of mind.
Coca-Cola is using a version of that plan with its new limited-edition soccer ball bottles being sold exclusively at Walmart.
Coca-Cola releases soccer ball bottles at Walmart
Coca-Cola has launched a special limited-edition football-shaped bottle to celebrate the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, and it's being sold exclusively at Walmart, Quartz reported.
Instead of introducing a new flavor, Coca-Cola redesigned its classic packaging, turning a regular plastic Coke bottle into a collectible.
A visit to Walmart.com confirmed the product's existence, and you can order a 6-pack ($39.99) and an 18-pack ($84.99) online for delivery between June 16 and 18. The product was not in stock at any of the many Walmarts near me, however.
That's not an accident. Walmart wants to use scarcity to drive people to its stores so they can hunt for the limited-time packaging.
The 13.5-ounce bottle features a football-inspired shape with red, white, and blue graphics representing Team USA. It's currently selling for about $2.50 when people can find it in stores.
Coca-Cola has not shared its plans
While photos of the soccer ball bottles in Walmarts have been posted on social media, and a few have even been put up for sale on eBay, the beverage giant has been coy with its plans.
"Coca-Cola has not officially announced a nationwide retail rollout for the bottles, but it could be coming soon as the World Cup kicks off in June. USA Today contacted Coca-Cola for additional information on the bottles, including when they were released, how long they will be in stock and which stores will sell them," and the company did not answer those questions, according to the newspaper.
Unlike the McRib promotion, Coca-Cola has hedged its bets by selling the multi-packs on Walmart.com at elevated prices. For the six-pack at $39.99, each bottle costs $6.65, while the 18-pack at $84.99 equals $4.72 per bottle.
The World Cup is a massive revenue driver
"This all reminds me of the Olympics promotion McDonald's did in the past, where people started going crazy and it went viral. And I even had a kid who was trading these cards," TheStreet retail advisor and RTMNexus CEO Dominick Miserandino said.
He believes that Coca-Cola and Walmart are capitalizing on the hype around the World Cup and people's desire to be part of the experience.
"I think it's the same kind of strategy, where you already have this hype, people are paying record levels for the tickets. And I think this is a perfect fit, right along with that strategy," he added.
Walmart and Coca-Cola are trying to claim a piece of the massive spending around the U.S. hosting the world cup.
"Accounting for expected viewership and purchase intent, World Cup shoppers could drive an estimated $7.5 billion in consumer spending - slightly above a similar estimate for the Winter Olympics ($7.2 billion) but below Super Bowl estimates ($11.5 billion)," Numerator reported.
This estimate excludes spending from those attending a match in person, as their expected expenses are much higher.
"Most intended shoppers (78%) will spend less than $100 on their World Cup-related items, with an expected average spend of roughly $74 per shopper. This is a bit higher than shoppers' estimates for Super Bowl spending ($68) or Winter Olympics spending ($63)," Numerator added.
People actually going to the games, which will spread out across 11 NFL stadiums, will spend over 10 times as much as those watching at home.
"Taking into account match tickets, travel, lodging, food & beverages, parking, and transportation, and any other associated costs for their World Cup experience, American attendees expect to spend an average of $1,667," according to Numerator's data.
That number, however, "is skewed slightly by high spenders; over half (60%) of in-person attendees plan to keep their spend under $1,000, with the largest group (34%) falling in the $100-$499 range," the site added.
Coca-Cola has a long history with the World Cup
Coca-Cola's presence at the FIFA World Cup began in 1950 with pitch-side signs in Brazil and has evolved into one of the longest-running partnerships in global sports, according to the company.
- Coca‑Cola became the official beverage sponsor of the FIFA World Cup in 1978.
- The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca‑Cola, launched in 2006, remains the only way fans can see the solid-gold Original Trophy in person.
Source: Coca-Cola
"The 2026 FIFA World Cup is Coca-Cola's 'single largest marketing moment,' and it is an event the brand 'treats less like a campaign and more like a global systemwide activation,' but scale is 'only part of the appeal,'" according to Sports Business Journal, citing reporting by Ad Age's Jon Springer.
"For Coca-Cola, the World Cup is 'one of its most effective tools for driving growth,' both by 'lifting sales during the tournament and by bringing new consumers into the brand,'" according to Coca-Cola Trademark Global President Arnab Roy, who called the event "one of our best recruitment tools for young consumers," Sports Business Journal added.
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This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 4:03 PM.