Employees display fan merchandise made for teams competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup at a fan goods company in Wuyi county, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on April 8. [Photo/IC]

With less than two months to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, businesses in Yiwu are seeing a fresh surge in orders for fan merchandise and related products.

The expanded tournament, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches, is driving up demand for World Cup-themed goods. At District 3 of the Yiwu International Trade Market, Wen Congjian, who has spent 19 years in the jersey export business, said his company's orders have risen by two to three times from normal levels since June last year.

Wen said the tournament's three host countries have added to the momentum, with orders from Mexico rising especially fast. One of his biggest orders came from a buyer who placed an order for 100,000 fan cheer outfits at one time.

He has applied for design patents for more than 40 products and has also secured a licensed order for official fan apparel linked to teams including Brazil, Argentina, and Portugal.

World Cup-themed beauty and personal care products are also gaining traction.

Press-on nails inspired by Argentina's team colors are displayed in Yiwu. [Photo provided to Tide News]

Gong Xiaogang, head of Yiwu Diqing Trading, said the company launched press-on nails with World Cup elements in March after receiving inquiries from clients about related products.

He said the designs combine team colors, soccer motifs, and player numbers, offering female fans another way to dress for match viewing, photos, and everyday styling. The product is now mainly sold wholesale through cross-border e-commerce channels.