World Cup Boosts Yiwu Exports as ‘World’s Supermarket’ Delivers
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico on June 12, the Chinese city of Yiwu — known as the “world’s supermarket” — had already completed much of its work. Orders for fan jerseys, soccer balls, flags, and other tournament merchandise began flowing into the city’s sprawling International Trade Market more than a year ago, with production peaking during the Spring Festival of 2026, according to People’s Daily.
Yiwu’s role as the world’s primary source of event merchandise is well established. During the 2022 Qatar World Cup, “Yiwu manufacturing” accounted for approximately 70% of all peripheral merchandise sold globally. This year, with the tournament expanded to 48 teams and hosted across three North American nations, demand has surged even further.
The Scale of the Operation
The numbers tell a compelling story. Yiwu Customs reported first-quarter 2026 exports of 28.3 billion yuan (approximately $3.9 billion USD), a 12% year-on-year increase. Sporting goods exports alone reached 6.78 billion yuan ($951.1 million) in the first seven months of 2025, up 16.8% from the previous year, with shipments to the U.S., Mexico, and Canada rising 10% to 1.88 billion yuan.
Zhejiang Online reported in April that World Cup-related sales had entered a “sprint phase,” with retailers serving buyers from Mexico and Africa seeing orders rise nearly 20% month over month. Yiwu Aokai Sports Goods Co., Ltd., which produces 4,000 soccer balls per day, sold over 700,000 balls in 2025 alone. General Manager Wu Xiaoming noted that the company “hardly keeps any inventory,” with products destined mainly for South America and Europe.
From Low-Cost to Innovation-Led Manufacturing
Perhaps the most significant development in Yiwu’s World Cup story is not the volume of exports but the nature of them. The city’s manufacturers are undergoing a profound transformation — shifting from competing on price to competing on innovation, design, and brand credibility.
Wen Congjian, chairman of Yiwu Danasi Import & Export Co., Ltd., exemplifies this shift. His company secured official FIFA-licensed fan jersey supplier status for the 2026 tournament, with orders covering more than 50 countries and a single largest order of approximately 300,000 units. Danasi holds over 100 domestic patents and more than 40 international patents, enabling the company to command a roughly 20% price premium over competitors.
“In the past, we were rushing to meet deadlines; now we prepare calmly and methodically,” Wen told People’s Daily. “This calmness comes from the maturity of the industrial chain, the multi-dimensional logistics network, intelligent technology, and the confidence of independent brands.”
The shift is visible across the market. Minimum order quantities have dropped from 500 pieces to as few as one or two pieces for customized orders, reflecting a move toward flexible, customer-centric manufacturing enabled by digital technologies. Chen Shaomei, founder of Yiwu Minsa Sports Goods Co., who arrived in the city 21 years ago and started by hand-sewing four soccer balls per day, now runs a factory producing 5,000 balls daily. His two self-designed World Cup commemorative balls have become bestsellers.
A Supply Chain Built for Speed
Yiwu’s competitive advantage extends beyond manufacturing into logistics. The city’s multi-modal transportation network — sea freight via Ningbo Port (one to two months), the China-Europe Railway Express (approximately 15 days), and air freight (as fast as three days) — provides redundancy and flexibility that few other sourcing hubs can match. Urgent orders can achieve same-day sampling and delivery within two to three days.
As Home Evolution China notes, Yiwu’s supply chain density — with factories, printing workshops, packaging suppliers, and logistics companies all operating within close proximity — enables rapid turnaround times that are critical during trend-driven events like the World Cup.
“Yiwu’s biggest advantage is its concentrated supporting industries and flexible production,” a Yiwu International Trade Market official told People’s Daily.
Broader Implications
Yiwu’s World Cup performance carries significance beyond a single tournament. It demonstrates China’s continued dominance in global event merchandise manufacturing despite ongoing trade tensions and shifting supply chain dynamics. The city’s evolution from a roadside market trading small commodities in the 1980s to a digital-empowered global trade hub — spanning six complete market iterations — reflects broader trends in Chinese industrial upgrading.
Wen Congjian noted that the World Cup also represents an opportunity to expand into new markets. “We have relatively few clients in the United States,” he told Xinhua in August 2025. “This World Cup is a great opportunity for us to expand there.”
What to Watch
As the 2026 World Cup unfolds over the coming weeks, several questions remain. How will Yiwu’s export volumes for this tournament compare to previous years? What impact will US-China trade tariffs have on specific product categories? And how are other Chinese manufacturing hubs benefiting from the event-driven demand?
What is clear is that Yiwu has moved beyond its reputation as a source of cheap goods. The “world’s supermarket” is increasingly a hub of design, innovation, and flexible manufacturing — a transformation that positions it well for the next global event, and the one after that.
“The final teams haven’t been decided, but we have to prepare in advance,” Wen said last year. For Yiwu, that preparation never really stops.