The UK will consume an estimated two billion canned drinks* over the course of FIFA World Cup 2026, according to Recycle Now and Every Can Counts. As recycling, these have a market value of around £28.5 million** – enough to pay all (or some) of the transfer fees of many of the tournament’s top players.
Aluminum cans have a recycling value of around £1,000 a tonne, meaning across the whole of the UK, recycled cans consumed during the tournament could cover the current transfer fees for a range of players.
From the England squad, your recycled cans could buy both John Stones (£11M) and Jordan Pickford (£14M) or a third of Harry Kane (£75M), while from the Scottish lineup they could snap up Captain Andy Robertson (£6.5M), Aaron Hickey (£15M) and John McGinn (£18M***.)
Every aluminium can sold during FIFA World Cup 2026 can be recycled and reused for every future World Cup tournament – forever – long after the current teams have hung up their boots. Recycle Now is encouraging fans to support the environment too during the tournament with a campaign promoting the recyclability of cans – both at home and when out and about.
Adam Herriott at Recycle Now explained: “Just like any international footballer, aluminium cans can enjoy a glittering career and go for a lot of money on the transfer market. Given this year’s tournament is in Canada, Mexico and the US, many people will be toasting their team with canned drinks at home. Our campaign reminds everyone – don’t binny your tinny – because the World Cup isn’t the only valuable metal being traded this year.”
Chris Latham-Warde, programme manager for Every Can Counts, said: “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.
“Aluminium can be recycled time and time again and that’s why we’re encouraging fans to make recycling part of their matchday routine, wherever they’re watching the game. 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. So, every action, no matter how small, really does add up to help make a big difference.”
As well as urging football fans to dispose of their drink cans sustainably this summer, Every Can Counts has a wider schedule of activity planned, aimed at promoting the importance of recycling. This includes attendance at some of the country’s most popular music festivals where the not-for-profit will get involved with the festival fun while engaging with attendees to spread their message.
Every year, ten billion aluminium cans are recycled across the entire UK preventing three million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions from arising – the equivalent to taking almost 700,000 cars off the road.
* Data provided by Every Can Counts – two billion cans sold during a five-week period in summer 2025 and associated market figures.
** Average value of used beverage cans (UBC) is £1,000/tonne – approximately 70,000 cans per tonne of UBC giving a total value of £28,571,000 for the two billion cans.
*** Prices for players use various sources including Transfermarkt (4 June 2026) and are used to demonstrate the value of aluminium beverage cans on the secondary market. ‘Beverage cans’ refer to all canned drinks placed on the UK market – soft and alcoholic drinks.
