Lay’s RePlay winners experience 2026 World Cup action in Mexico City

Thirty young RePlay World Cup League winners from Colombia, Mexico and South Africa were given a first-hand taste of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City, where they attended Colombia’s match with Uzbekistan at Mexico City Stadium after several days of football and cultural activities.

From community pitches to the World Cup

The Mexico City group arrived in matching white hoodies marking their success in the RePlay World Cup League, joining Colombia and Mexico supporters making their way into the stadium. For many of the participants, the walk through the gates represented an opportunity they had long imagined but did not expect to receive.

One player described attending the tournament as a lifelong ambition, while another said the chance to see Colombia in person at the World Cup was a dream. A further participant reflected on the scale of the occasion, saying that everyone around him and inside the stadium looked “so beautiful”.

Lay’s RePlay began in 2021, using recycled crisp packets in the construction of artificial five-a-side pitches for communities worldwide. Before the 2026 World Cup, the project extended its work from facilities into organised youth leagues.

• RePlay has opened 13 pitches in 12 countries since its launch.
• Those sites have been used by about 1.1 million people.
• Nine RePlay leagues were staged across seven countries ahead of the World Cup.
• More than 1,900 players, representing 200 teams, took part.
• The leagues produced 800 matches across 665 hours of football.

Progression in the leagues was not determined only by results. Young players could also be recognised for the programme’s community values, including encouraging team-mates and celebrating others’ achievements.

Mexico City itinerary ends with Colombia match

The reward for the winning participants was an all-expenses-paid World Cup trip, with groups travelling to Mexico City, Los Angeles or New York/New Jersey.

In the Mexican capital, the Colombia, Mexico and South Africa contingent combined football with a programme designed to introduce them to the city. They visited local landmarks, watched traditional performances and spent time at the Sabritas RePlay pitch, where games and a community event were held.

The central occasion was Colombia’s World Cup fixture against Uzbekistan. Surrounded by a large Colombia support, the RePlay winners celebrated from the stands when Colombia scored. One participant said simply that he was delighted to be inside the stadium, while another stressed that a World Cup visit was an opportunity not everyone could win.

For the young players, the trip turned an event previously followed from home into a direct connection with the tournament and the national teams competing in it.

League winners also travel to Los Angeles and New York

The Mexico City visit formed part of a wider programme for RePlay league winners from several countries.

• Participants from Portugal and Italy travelled to Los Angeles, visiting a local RePlay pitch, Santa Monica Pier and a World Cup match.
• A group from the United Kingdom went to New York and New Jersey, toured the city and watched England play Panama.
• Each trip was intended to link the communities using RePlay facilities with football’s largest international competition.

The World Cup journeys may have ended once the groups returned home, but the RePlay pitches remain available as spaces for young players and local communities to meet and play. For those selected from the leagues, the enduring memories include their first approach to a World Cup stadium, the sound of the crowd and the shared celebration of a goal.