A London-based soccer fan has developed a unique way to follow the FIFA World Cup: collecting beers from every participating nation and consuming one as each team is eliminated from the competition. Gus Hully amassed a collection of 48 beers, one from each country that entered the tournament, at a cost of approximately $335.
Hully's process involves drinking a beer to commemorate a nation's exit, viewing it as a toast to their participation and eventual failure to win the tournament. He began sourcing the beverages in 2025, encountering challenges in finding certain items. For instance, obtaining a beer from Iraq required a $40 (or £30) transaction with an individual in Poland who had previously visited Iraq. He also engaged in trades with other collectors, exchanging rare English beers for a beverage from Qatar and a Panamanian beer for a bottle from Saudi Arabia.
For countries where alcohol is not commonly consumed or available, such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Hully secured non-alcoholic malt beverages brewed with barley malt. He noted that this approach allowed him to maintain the spirit of his tradition while respecting local customs.
Hully has expressed interest in undertaking a similar challenge for the 2028 World Cup, which is scheduled to feature 24 teams. He suggested that this format would be more manageable, although he acknowledged potential difficulties if teams like Andorra or San Marino qualified, as it might necessitate travel to new countries.
