Index  ›  sport  ›  BBC
sport · BBC ↗

World Cup 2026: Mexico squad return watches gifted by content creator Stevewilldoit

BBC Published Jul 5, 2026 Reviewed Jul 5, 2026 ✓ Reviewed by citations.press editors
Citation-ready fact
FIFA's Code of Ethics, Article 21, restricts offering or accepting gifts to those with 'symbolic or trivial value'.
View source ↗
Citation-ready fact
The Mexico national team returned the luxury watches gifted by content creator Stevewilldoit by mutual agreement.
View source ↗
Citation-ready fact
American YouTuber Stephen Deleonardis, known as Stevewilldoit, spent $1 million (£747,000) on Rolex watches for every Mexico player and member of staff ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
1000000 USD · Rolex watches for Mexico squad and staff747000 GBP · Rolex watches for Mexico squad and staff
View source ↗

Mexico have been forced to return luxury watches gifted to them by content creator Stevewilldoit.

The American YouTuber, whose real name is Stephen Deleonardis, says he spent $1m (£747,000) on Rolex watches for every Mexico player and member of staff.

The World Cup co-hosts play England at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium on Sunday evening local time (01:00 BST, Monday).

Deleonardis presented them to the squad, external when he met them on Monday, the day before Mexico beat Ecuador in the last 32.

However, Fifa's Code of Ethics, external has restrictions on offering and accepting gifts, with article 21 stating that such gifts can only be offered or accepted if they "have symbolic or trivial value".

According to a post on the team's X account, external the Mexico players decided to return the watches "by mutual agreement" and that Stevewilldoit had gifted them "on his own initiative".

They are hoping to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since hosting the World Cup in 1986.

This article was originally published by BBC ↗. citations.press indexes the source-backed facts above and links to the original. Something wrong? Corrections policy · Report an error