World Cup-themed soccer balls. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Known as the "world's supermarket" for small commodities, Yiwu in East China's Zhejiang province, is already winning big ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to local customs, the city exported 6.78 billion yuan ($950 million) in sports goods and equipment in the first seven months of this year, up 16.8 percent year-on-year. Exports to the United States, Canada, and Mexico alone reached 1.88 billion yuan, an increase of 10 percent.

At Yiwu International Trade Market, thousands of sports-related products — from soccer balls and jerseys to trophies — are attracting global buyers.

"We started designing World Cup products in June, with soccer balls as our main product," said Wu Xiaoming, general manager of Yiwu Aokai Sports Goods Co Ltd. The company produces around 4,000 soccer balls per day, mostly exported to South America and Europe.

Yiwu has become a global hub for sports merchandise. During the Qatar 2022 World Cup, "Yiwu-made" accounted for nearly 70 percent of the global market for event-related products, including team flags, whistles, horns, scarves, and memorabilia.

With over 1,000 sports goods vendors now operating in Yiwu International Trade Market, the city has developed a mature model, offering one-stop purchasing and cost-efficient logistics.