The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11, and the world’s biggest sporting event isn’t just filling stadiums. It’s filling menus. From Tim Hortons in Canada to McDonald’s in Argentina, foodservice operators around the globe are rolling out World Cup-themed limited-time offers (LTOs) to capture the energy of the beautiful game.

We’re tracking new launches every day as brands around the world respond in real time. Here’s a look at some of the most creative launches so far.

Global Launches by Datassential monitors hundreds of chains across four continents, capturing new items and LTOs as they launch so food and beverage brands can spot trends, benchmark competitors, and move faster on innovation.

⚽ Why Are Restaurants Going All-In on World Cup LTOs?

Limited-time offers tied to major cultural moments are one of the most proven plays in foodservice. This year’s World Cup features a record 48 teams across 104 matches from June 11 to July 19, spanning multiple countries, time zones, and consumer bases. That makes it a rare opportunity for truly global menu alignment.

The brands that do it best don’t just slap a flag on their packaging. They adapt to local tastes, lean into national pride, and give fans a reason to gather. The launches below are proof.

What Operators Around the World Are Launching Right Now

New World Cup-inspired item launches are being picked up by Datassential every day. Here are some of the highlights.

🇨🇦 Canada

Tim Hortons

Canadian staple Tim Hortons is leaning hard into the tournament spirit with a “Tastes of the Globe” Timbits collection: four limited-edition mini-donut flavours, each inspired by a different competing nation. Rounding out the launch: a Caramel Churro Iced Capp, a Mexico-inspired twist on their iconic iced cappuccino.

Consumer ratings for new menu items in select countries are also available via Datassential — a composite score out of 100 that combines purchase intent, uniqueness, frequency, draw, and value. Here’s how the Timbits lineup stacked up:

The gap between the top and bottom Timbit scores is hard to ignore. The two highest-scoring flavours lean into bold, globally inspired combinations, while the home-country option landed at the bottom of the pack. That kind of signal matters when you’re deciding which LTOs to double down on and which to rethink.

🇦🇷 Argentina

McDonald’s

McDonald’s Argentina went straight to the nation’s heart: its football heroes. The chain released a trio of player-inspired burgers, each named for a national team star:

• McAllister: a burger named for midfielder Alexis Mac Allister
• McFernández: a chicken burger inspired by the elegance of Enzo Fernández
• McAlvarez: built for the attack, just like striker Julián Álvarez

A masterclass in national pride marketing, and a reminder that in Argentina, football is personal.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

TGI Fridays

TGI Fridays UK went big with Fridays United™, billing itself as the ultimate matchday destination. The lineup mixes American classics with a few global twists:

• Red Card Margarita: tequila, lime, and orange liqueur; classic and bold
• Yellow Card Margarita: a smoother, fruit-forward tequila cocktail
• All Star Platter: wings, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings for the table
• Loaded Nachos Platter: tortilla chips piled high with proteins, melted cheese, and bold toppings
• Korean Rib Bites: tender pork ribs glazed in gochujang-soy sauce, finished with sesame and scallions; the standout new item and a sign of just how global British menus have become

🇲🇽 Mexico

Applebee’s

Applebee’s Mexico launched its FOODBall campaign, positioning its Fan Zone as the go-to matchday destination. Classic sports bar energy, localized for the Mexican market. Football-themed LTO’s include:

• Party Cup: boneless bites + up to a litre of your drink of choice
• Big Fan Appetizer Sampler: choose 3 of 9 options, from wings to nachos to sliders
• Beer Cheese Waffle Fries: waffle fries topped with cheese, beer sauce, and bacon bits
• Bourbon Bacon Jam Burger: Angus beef with cheddar and honey mustard bacon jam

🇺🇸 United States

Baskin-Robbins

Baskin-Robbins tapped into tournament excitement with its June Flavor of the Month: Fútbol Fireworks. Loud, fun, and very on-brand for a World Cup co-hosted on American soil.

• Fútbol Fireworks Ice Cream: cream soda and cherry sherbet with blue raspberry swirls and green apple popping candy
• Fútbol Fireworks Milkshake: the same flavour, spun into a shake

Baskin-Robbins is also a good example of where chain performance analytics add another layer — available in select countries, the Datassential platform lets you go beyond tracking what a chain is launching and dig into how it’s performing. Compare launch activity across top chains side by side, filter by season or year, and see which concepts are scoring highest (or lowest) with consumers. You can also deep dive into a single chain’s LTO strategy by category, ingredient, or flavour trend — with a presentation-ready export built in.

🇧🇷 Brazil

McDonald’s

McDonald’s Brazil launched its “Seleções do Méqui” (roughly: “McDonald’s National Teams”) campaign, arguably the most ambitious World Cup menu rollout we’ve tracked. Seven sandwiches, seven countries, one campaign:

• Country-inspired sandwiches: representing Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Mexico, France, Italy, and the United States
• McFlurry Brazil, Mc Shake Brazil, and McFries Brazil: completing the home-team combo
• McCafé Canada Iced and McCafé Canada Hot: a nod to the tournament’s co-host through hot and cold coffee options

How Datassential’s Global Launches Helps You Track It All

Keeping up with menu innovation across dozens of markets, languages, and chains is nearly impossible to do manually. That’s where Global Launches by Datassential comes in.

Global Launches covers:

• 350+ chains and 10,000+ tracked items across LATAM, EMEA, and APAC
• 380+ chains and 57,000+ tracked items across the U.S. and Canada (available separately)

Here’s what you can achieve with Global Launches:

• Filter strategically: zero in on a specific chain, segment, cuisine, or menu category
• Spot patterns fast: distinguish between new, returning, and limited-time items at a glance
• Explore flavours globally: search any keyword to surface how ingredients or flavour profiles are being used across markets
• Benefit from multi-language support: automatic translations let you view LTO descriptions in local language and English, with keyword search across both
• Share instantly: pull presentation-ready slides and one-click exports to PowerPoint or Excel

Whether you’re a manufacturer validating demand for a new ingredient, a distributor tracking emerging flavours, or an operator planning your next LTO calendar, Global Launches gives you the intelligence to move with confidence.

📣 The match is on.

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