Firms fire up production for FIFA World Cup

With less than a month remaining before the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off in Mexico City, a wave of Chinese-made products, from footballs and flags to fan jerseys and drinkware, is already flowing into the tournament's host countries and beyond.

The tournament between June 11 and July 19 will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, with matches across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

In April, workers at the production workshop of Qingdao Wonderful Flag Industry Co, a Qingdao, Shandong province-based flag maker, were busy sewing and assembling national flags of countries participating in the World Cup.

"On April 1, right after the final World Cup qualifying match concluded and the list of the 48 teams was confirmed, orders flooded in almost immediately," said Xiao Chang'ai, chairman of the company.

According to Xiao, the company is now running at full capacity to fulfill orders for national flags, covering both traditional soccer powerhouses such as Brazil, Argentina and Germany, as well as newly qualified teams making their World Cup debut.

"By the end of March, most flags for traditional powerhouse teams had already been produced and shipped," she said. "But the real challenge for us will begin once the tournament starts in June."

As the competition unfolds, overseas buyers closely track match results and place orders almost in real time, often demanding delivery within just one or two days, Xiao added.

To keep pace with the surge in last-minute demand, the company has all production lines running round the clock, with daily output now exceeding 100,000 flags of various sizes, according to Qingdao Customs.

Ningbo Eco-will Technology Co, a manufacturer of luggage tags, ceramic cups and insulated tumblers in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, saw its exports to the US, Canada and Mexico jump 47 percent year-on-year to 40 million yuan ($5.89 million) in the first four months of 2026, as local sellers actively stocked up on merchandise ahead of the World Cup sales season.

Qiu Chunmiao, the company's foreign trade manager, said the World Cup has significantly boosted the firm's exports of sports-themed products this year, especially insulated tumblers carrying officially licensed soccer team logos.

Ningbo Customs said exports of sporting goods and equipment through Ningbo's ports reached 5.74 billion yuan between January and April, up 11.34 percent on a yearly basis.

Wang Xiaohong, a researcher at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges in Beijing, said China's flexible manufacturing ecosystem offers exporters a clear advantage in responding to short-cycle demand generated by major sporting events.

Wen Congjian, chairman of Yiwu Danna Silk Import and Export Co, a Yiwu, Zhejiang-based apparel maker that designs patented soccer fan jerseys, said Chinese companies are no longer competing solely on volume, but are placing greater emphasis on value-added products.

"With patent protection, we can better protect our designs and lift product prices by around 20 percent," Wen said, adding that the company has secured overseas patents for more than 40 fan jersey designs related to the World Cup.

Yiwu's exports of sporting goods and equipment reached 2.83 billion yuan in the first quarter, up 12 percent year-on-year, data from Yiwu Customs showed. (source: China daily)