Aldi pulls Argentinian Malbec from shelves ahead of England's World Cup semi-final

Aldi has cleared its Argentinian Malbec from shelves across its UK stores on Wednesday, July 15, replacing the wine with a handwritten-style sign backing England ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta.

The sign, first spotted by a customer and then shared by Aldi on Instagram, reads: “We have removed our Argentinian Malbec from the shelves in solidarity ahead of the game tomorrow,” signing off with the phrase: “It’s coming home!”

An Aldi spokesperson framed the move as a “tactical substitution” of sorts. “Whether it’s a tactical substitution or the ultimate superstition, the sign encourages shoppers to bench their usual Argentinian reds for alternative bottles to toast Thomas Tuchel’s men tonight,” the spokesperson said, adding that non-Argentinian wines remain fully stocked.

Aldi’s Instagram post, which carried the caption “If this doesn’t help us win, we don’t know what will,” has since accumulated more than 15,000 likes and hundreds of comments. Reactions ranged from praise for the brand’s marketing team to declarations of renewed loyalty. “Patriotism before Profit. Well done,” wrote one commenter. Another drew a comparison to a similar stunt by Greggs, which reportedly removed Mexican-flavoured items ahead of a previous England fixture.

England’s semi-final against Argentina kicks off at 8pm on Wednesday, July 15, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The winner advances to the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19.