BEIJING, June 18 — While China’s football fans might feel a tiny bit disappointed that their national team isn’t at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament is still packed with Chinese influence, with “Made in China” products visible almost everywhere on and off the pitch.
Chinese products have long made their presence felt with football fans around the globe. As far back as 32 years ago, Chinese manufacturers were already supplying merchandise for the 1994 tournament in the United States. This time around, China’s presence is more visible and far-reaching, showing up not only in athletic equipment and fan gear, but also in stadium facilities and even the cultural touches surrounding the event.
CHINESE MANUFACTURING AS BACKBONE
At this year’s World Cup, many Chinese companies are keeping a low profile — they have neither hired football stars for advertising campaigns nor staged eye-catching marketing activities. Yet, the tournament would struggle to run smoothly without their behind-the-scenes support. Mexico, one of the tournament’s three host countries, offers a case in point. To better serve the World Cup, Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, which staged the opening match, has undergone a full-scale renovation. The overhaul, which has made the stadium more spacious and modern, was carried out by companies including China Railway Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd.
Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara are Mexico’s three host cities. To support the World Cup, they have put into service 115 light-rail trains manufactured by CRRC Corporation Limited, a Chinese rail transit equipment supplier. In Mexico City alone, 800 new-energy shuttle buses are operating to ferry fans between key venues, with 95 percent of them made in China. What makes Chinese products a backbone of World Cup infrastructure and operations is the country’s manufacturing prowess. China has built the world’s largest manufacturing system by scale, with the most comprehensive industrial categories. With a World Cup demanding everything from venue upgrades to transport and event services, this breadth enables Chinese manufacturers to supply a wide array of customized products to meet diverse needs.
In addition to helping upgrade local infrastructure, Chinese companies are also widening their footprint at the World Cup by leveraging technological strengths to make the tournament smarter and more efficient. With the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system playing a bigger role as the game gets faster and more complex, there’s a growing demand for high-resolution, intelligent display and computing equipment. Against this backdrop, Chinese TV maker Hisense is supplying display devices for VAR, giving referees a clearer view of on-pitch action. Chinese tech firm Lenovo is also providing equipment for 16 tournament stadiums, with its servers and AI models deployed to support FIFA’s technology and operational needs. These upgrades in the products offered by Chinese companies reflect the country’s sustained commitment to making technological innovation a top priority in its development strategy. After years of effort, China has emerged as a major global hub for innovation. The World Intellectual Property Organization’s Global Innovation Index 2025 ranked China among the world’s top 10 for the first time.
FLUFF, FLAVORS AND FANDOM
At the opening ceremony, two Labubu characters in football jerseys ignited the celebrations by romping about and lifting a replica of the World Cup trophy, sparking excitement both in the stands and across social media. The fluffy, toothy figure, from Pop Mart’s The Monsters franchise, appeared at the tournament’s opening ceremony as a special guest, becoming the first Chinese original intellectual property to feature in a World Cup opening celebration. With Labubu as a prime example, a growing number of Chinese brands are betting on the interaction of culture and football at one of the world’s biggest sporting events. Many are Chinese beverage makers, including Luckin Coffee and Cotti Coffee, which have struck partnerships with national teams such as Spain and Argentina. An unexpected partnership emerged between herbal tea maker Walovi, the international version of Chinese herbal tea drink Wanglaoji, and Norwegian superstar striker Erling Haaland, with a lighthearted promotional video quickly going viral on social media worldwide. The collaboration is bringing traditional herbal drinks from south China to a wider international audience, boosted by the World Cup’s influence.
The World Cup is also a global stage for fans to show their support, with flags, jerseys, hats and toys becoming iconic symbols of team spirit. A significant share of these fan-favorite items comes from Yiwu, the world-renowned commodity hub in east China’s Zhejiang Province. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, nearly 70 percent of related merchandise came from Yiwu, and that share is expected to expand this year. Local customs data showed that the city’s total exports of sports products and equipment reached 2.83 billion yuan (about 415 million U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of 2026, up 12 percent year on year. The diverse and burgeoning ways Chinese companies are expanding their presence at the 2026 World Cup show that they are no longer content to gain visibility simply by spending heavily on advertising but are increasingly taking on new roles at global sporting events, such as technology developers, content creators, service providers and more, said He Yong, chief commentator with the Yangcheng Evening News. These brands have woven their products into nearly every part of the World Cup ecosystem, shifting from simply “being seen” to “being needed,” He said. “This shift highlights the growing global recognition of Chinese manufacturing and smart technologies, and reflects China’s broader achievements in economic, technological and overall strength.” Â
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