We Tried It: Lay’s FIFA World Cup Chips
In anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lay’s has launched four-limited edition chip flavours inspired by countries competing in the tournament: Canada, France, Argentina and the U.K.
Team Chatelaine got snacking to see whether these flavours were truly championship worthy–or better off left on the sidelines.
Bacon Poutine (Canada)
This flavour aims to capture Canada’s most iconic comfort food with notes of gravy, salty cheese curds and smoky bacon. The execution? Underwhelming.
The bacon taste comes through strongly but leans rather artificial, with the poutine notes surprisingly non-existent. While the concept had potential, the overall flavour profile didn’t quite deliver on the poutine front—which frankly felt a little offensive.
Cheese Soufflé (France)
This was easily the most divisive flavour of the bunch. The second the bag opened, this French-inspired chip hit us with a sharp toasted-cheese scent—pungent and as one tester recovering from a cold put it: “strong enough to clear your sinuses.” The flavour itself is reminiscent of powdery cheese puffs snacks from our childhood lunchboxes.
Some of our team loved the intense cheesy kick, while others gave it a red card for being too potent after only a few bites. Love it or hate it, this one definitely left a lingering impression.
Steak & Chimichurri (Argentina)
Inspired by the reigning World Cup champs Argentina, this flavour comes in strong with grilled steak notes and a striking-herby chimichurri seasoning. Unfortunately, none of us were particularly sold as the taste was more meaty and ultimately too intense for a potato chip.
You can’t win them all.
Cheese & Onion (United Kingdom)
The U.K.’s chip ended up being the clear team winner. It’s onion-forward (keep a pack of gum with you after eating these) with a sharp cheddar finish—similar to a classic sour cream and onion bite. The taste is far from groundbreaking but still ended up being the most balanced choice from the bunch.
Want more potato chip reviews? Here’s what we thought of Miss Vickie's Black Truffle & Parmesan chips.
The very best of Chatelaine straight to your inbox.
Sarah Bauly is the editorial intern at Chatelaine. She’s driven by a passion for empowering women and creating meaningful change through storytelling. Her work has appeared in New Wave Zine, CanCulture and other Toronto-based publications. Outside of writing, she can often be found getting lost in her favourite ’80s hits, lingering in bookshops or exploring the city in search of her next go-to coffee spot.
