World Cup merchandise race heats up as retailers grapple with sourcing challenges
Supply chain disruptions and the tournament’s expanded format have made sourcing more difficult for some retailers.
The expansion from 32 to 48 teams has added to the challenge, with retailers needing to source merchandise from more nations and football federations.
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SINGAPORE: With just days to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off, sports retailers in Singapore are working to get stock onto shelves as supply chain disruptions and the tournament’s expanded format make sourcing more difficult.
The challenge comes as they prepare for what they expect will be strong demand during the five-week tournament, which starts next Thursday (Jun 11) and features 48 teams for the first time.
SOURCING CHALLENGES MOUNT
One sports apparel chain, Weston Corporation, is racing against time to bring in more choices for fans.
It is aiming to carry merchandise from 43 of the 48 participating nations, including World Cup debutants Cape Verde and Jordan.
But sourcing merchandise from a broader range of teams has not been easy.
“There have been quite a bit of logistical issues – maybe factory delays, maybe also due to the war, things not coming on time,” said Mr Ami Chopra, sales director for football at Weston Corp.
“There are always some kinds of hindrance, but not too bad.”
Some jerseys have proven especially difficult to obtain, including Iran’s national team jersey, he added.
“We’re going to try to get it. It’s going to be a close one. I got to route it to Turkey, (then) Turkey to another location, and then from there to Singapore. So it’s not easy.”
The expansion from 32 to 48 teams has also added to the challenge, with retailers needing to source merchandise from more nations and football federations.
“It’s been a struggle … (There’s) a lot of work from my team sourcing stuff. It’s really tough,” said Mr Ami.
Fan interest is also extending beyond jerseys and memorabilia, with growing demand for collectible cards and sticker albums.
Despite the hurdles, the retailer said demand has been encouraging so far and typically picks up further once the tournament gets underway.
EARLY INTEREST BUILDS
Another retailer, Crown Sports, said it has experienced minimal delays after beginning preparations months in advance.
“We have to project (demand) much earlier, so if you lose that race, then you won’t get the item again,” its director Gori Johal told CNA.
“(We) have to project properly, clearly before we place. So we take all these small details in these eight to 10 months before it arrives. A lot of detailed stuff goes into it and then we are waiting for the stock.”
Rather than stocking merchandise from every team, the store is focusing on those expected to attract the strongest demand in Singapore, such as Argentina, France, England, Portugal and Brazil.
“As with any major tournament, demand tends to concentrate around established football nations, star-player-driven teams, and countries that gain strong media attention,” said Crown Sports in an earlier written reply.
It added that individual player popularity is also playing a growing role in purchasing decisions.
Interest has started building earlier than expected, said the retailer, adding that football shirts are increasingly being purchased as fashion and lifestyle items rather than solely as supporter wear.
“While the strongest sales surge usually happens much closer to the tournament kick-off, the early momentum suggests strong anticipation among football fans this year.”
Crown Sports expects sales to receive a further boost during the latter stages of the World Cup.
“We expect strong impulse buying during the tournament itself, particularly once knockout rounds begin, as customers often come in wanting jerseys for teams that are suddenly performing well or generating major headlines,” it added.
Source: CNA/ca(lt)
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