World Cup fans so obsessed with ranch dressing that TSA beg travellers to stop ‘smuggling’ it

Every World Cup seems to have its own unexpected star.

You’d think it would be the striker who scored the last-minute goal to take their team through or the underdog team that beat all the competition when nobody thought they would.

For this World Cup though, it’s a condiment.

While football fans have travelled thousands of miles to soak up the tournament atmosphere and watch the world’s best players, many have ended up becoming obsessed with something else entirely: ranch dressing.

The American sauce has become such a hit with visiting supporters that airport security staff have actually had to issue a warning telling people to stop trying to take so much of it home.

TSA warning to travellers

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) shared a post on social media after apparently noticing a trend among travellers who had discovered ranch during their trip.

The agency also shared some more practical advice in the caption.

"Are you kicking around the idea of flying home with your favorite dip? If you're traveling within the U.S., make sure to keep your carry-on sauces to 3.4oz or less and place any larger containers in your checked bags."

Which is probably the politest way possible of saying: stop trying to sneak giant bottles of ranch through security.

Thankfully, UK football fans don't actually need to risk becoming international ranch smugglers.

That's because the sauce has already made its way across the Atlantic.

Heinz was one of the first brands to jump on the moment, sharing its own response to the TSA warning.

It's not just ketchup they're making these days.

Judging by the reaction online, fans are fully on board with Heinz making ranch.

"Heinz knows exactly what we needed," one person wrote in response.

The launch marks one of the latest additions to the ever-growing condiment aisle, but Heinz isn't the only option for anyone looking to satisfy a newfound ranch obsession.

You can also pick up these in the UK if you’re looking to get your ranch fix at home.

What is ranch dressing?

So, what exactly is ranch and why are football fans suddenly willing to risk a telling-off from airport security just to take it home with them?

Ranch dressing is a creamy sauce that originated in the United States and is traditionally made using buttermilk, herbs and seasonings including garlic, onion, dill and parsley.

The flavour is rich, tangy and savoury all at the same time.

Think of it as somewhere between a salad dressing, a dip and a sauce that somehow works with absolutely everything.

In America, people use ranch for far more than just salads.

It's commonly served alongside chicken wings, pizza, fries, burgers, wraps and vegetable sticks.

Some fans even dip crisps into it.

Others put it on sandwiches.

And there are probably people out there who would happily drink it if given the chance.

For UK visitors experiencing it for the first time during the World Cup, it's easy to see why the obsession has taken hold.

Whether it's enough to justify attempting to transport half a supermarket's worth of the stuff through airport security is another question entirely.

Still, compared to some of the things football fans could bring home from a tournament, a bottle of dressing is relatively harmless.

Supporters heading back to Britain don't need to test TSA's patience.

With ranch now widely available on British shelves, there's no need to dedicate half your suitcase to the stuff.

UK fans who have been lucky enough to be able to watch the tournament stateside can just leave room for other souvenirs instead.

And if they’re really missing the US ranch, they can always grab America’s favourite brand of ranch straight from Amazon.