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Sales of merchandise related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in China have skyrocketed in the days leading up to the tournament, especially for special Labubu products and Argentina jerseys adorned with the Adidas logo.
The limited-edition collaboration between Pop Mart International Group’s The Monsters series and the World Cup features popular Labubu monster dolls, including vinyl plush hangers, long strap blind boxes, mini hangable light boxes, and glass cup blind boxes. The standout item has been a plush toy named “Catch the Win,” dressed in a custom jersey and clutching the World Cup trophy, which has become the top seller so far.
The Adidas flagship store on Huaihai Road in Shanghai has been transformed with World Cup-themed decorations. Sales of Argentina’s home jerseys are climbing rapidly, driven by anticipation that this will be Lionel Messi’s final World Cup appearance. Fans and collectors are eager to purchase his jersey as a keepsake, a staff member at the store shared.
In contrast, marketing efforts by Chinese beer brands for the World Cup have been noticeably subdued this year. Only a few brands, like Tsingtao and Yanjing breweries, have conducted some promotional activities related to watching matches, while most have not launched significant campaigns tied to the event.
Several beverage companies told us that the limited advertising is due to the timing of the matches, most of which are scheduled for late at night or early morning Beijing time, reducing the potential for boosting beer sales. Instead, companies have shifted their marketing focus toward local football leagues, which are gaining popularity and resonate more strongly with Chinese consumers.
In addition to merchandise sales, online searches and bookings for hotels equipped with large TVs or high-quality projection and audio systems increased by 47 percent on the opening day of the World Cup compared to last year, according to data from a popular travel platform. Room occupancy rates for these venues during the first weekend of the tournament have surpassed 90 percent, a significant increase from the previous weekend.
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