Starbucks has turned its viral Bearista cup into a World Cup tie-in, launching a limited-edition soccer-themed glass across multiple regions from June 10–11 while fans and resellers again race to secure stock priced at $30 but already advertised online for up to $150.
According to Today.com, the new Bearista is a 20-ounce glass cup shaped like a bear, topped with a silicone hat resembling a soccer ball, and finished with a green Starbucks scarf and green-and-white-striped straw. Coverage from Shreveport Times and American Talk notes that the original holiday Bearista cup released in November 2025 retailed for $29.95 in the United States and $43.95 in Canada, placing the soccer version at a similar $30 price point.
Distribution for the 2026 soccer Bearista is tightly controlled. Reports from Yahoo News Canada, Dexerto, and American Talk state that the cup is available in-store at participating Starbucks coffeehouses in Canada, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, but in the United States it is sold only online through the Starbucks Shop for Starbucks Rewards Reserve tier members starting June 11, while supplies last. Resell Calendar adds that Starbucks New Zealand confirmed a “Football Bearista Cup” at selected stores in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch from June 11 at 9:00 a.m. local time, and that it is not available through the app.
The launch is timed with the start of global fan gatherings around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, according to Dexerto, Yahoo News Canada, and Today.com. Starbucks has said the merchandise is “inspired by the global game” but not officially tied to FIFA, as reported by American Talk and Yahoo News Canada.
Alongside the glass cup, Starbucks is distributing soccer-style captain’s armband sleeves in more than 30 markets. Yahoo News Canada and Dexerto report that fan gatherings and sleeve giveaways began June 10, with England and Scotland running a nationwide sleeve giveaway on June 11 with beverage purchases. In the United States, American Talk and Today.com describe a limited-edition red, white, and blue sleeve, marked with a large “C,” added to beverage purchases on June 11 at participating stores, while supplies last. In a Starbucks press release cited by Today.com and American Talk, the company said the sleeve is “inspired by the captain’s armband” and “celebrates global fandom and the unifying power of the game.”
Resale markets reacted quickly. Today.com and American Talk report that resellers listed the soccer Bearista cup on eBay and similar platforms for up to $150 shortly after launch, despite its $30 retail price. CBC News and Shreveport Times recall that the 2025 holiday Bearista cups resold for $150 to $300, with some listings reaching $800.
The enthusiasm has also revived concerns about scarcity and access. American Talk and Today.com note social media complaints about the US decision to restrict sales to online orders for top-tier Rewards members, while making the cup available in-store in other regions. During the 2025 release, an anonymous social media user quoted by American Talk criticized the limited inventory and alleged that baristas were able to buy cups before customers, calling the situation “not cool marketing.”
Starbucks has previously acknowledged being caught off guard by demand. In statements reported by American Talk, Today.com, and CBC News, a Starbucks spokesperson said “the excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations” in 2025 and that, despite shipping more Bearista cups to coffeehouses than almost any other merchandise item that holiday season, “the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast.” CBC News and Today.com add that in December 2025, Starbucks gave away 17,000 Bearista cups through its Merrython game and a spokesperson apologized “for the disappointment this may have caused.”
Today.com and American Talk state that the 2026 soccer-themed Bearista cups and captain’s sleeves are available only while supplies last, and Shreveport Times notes that Starbucks has not confirmed any restock or additional release based on precedent from the 2025 launch.
