As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws closer, merchants in east China's Yiwu are seeing a surge in cross-border orders for sports equipment as global buyers gear up for the event.
In Yiwu's International Trade Market, the world’s largest wholesale hub for small commodities in east China's Zhejiang Province, the sports equipment zone has seen a growing influx of foreign buyers recently, many gearing up for the upcoming World Cup.
Tunisian buyers Salah and his brother are wrapping up a bulk order, having carefully tested footballs for texture before choosing their ideal models. Football fever runs high back home, they explained, making it crucial to stock up early for the expected spike in demand.
"Yes, every year we come here. We try to find new products, different types of accessories. I'm going to do 10,000 footballs. I think it's a great quantity like a start for the year," said Salah. When asked what draws them to Yiwu, international buyers frequently highlight the market's unmatched variety of products.
"We have come for the first time this year and wish the next year we come -- because Yiwu gets more fabric and more sellers and more goods for us," said Aya, a purchaser from Pakistan.
Noticing a surge in foot traffic in recent weeks, a shop manager shared how his team has fast-tracked new product development and revamped store layouts to spotlight their latest offerings, seizing the commercial opportunities of the upcoming sporting event.
"Based on customer inquiries, we anticipate 10-20 percent order growth. We're intensifying research-and-development efforts while enhancing product quality," said Liu Jiaqi, a merchant in Yiwu International Trade Market.
Co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the U.S., the 2026 tournament marks the first tri-nation hosted World Cup and features 48 teams, 104 matches across 40 days -- a format expected to unleash unprecedented market vitality.
All merchants in Yiwu International Trade Market share this sharp market instinct and have already begun stockpiling inventory ahead of demand.
"We're preparing for pre-tournament demand by building stocks of standard, non-customized products first," said a merchant Chen Xianchun.
Customs data shows Yiwu's sports equipment exports reached 4.79 billion yuan (about 688.5 million U.S. dollars) from January to May 2024, up 16.6 percent year-on-year.
With over 1,000 sports product suppliers now operating in the market, "Made in Yiwu" is leveraging its agile supply chains to capture the football bonanza's first-mover advantages.
Yiwu merchants gear up for 2026 World Cup business boom
