World Cup merchandise race heats up as retailers grapple with sourcing challenges

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. 

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