World Cup Merchandise Race Heats Up as Retailers Grapple with Sourcing Challenges

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, sports retailers in Singapore are navigating significant sourcing challenges, driven by ongoing supply chain disruptions and the tournament's unprecedented expansion to 48 teams. This larger format requires retailers to procure merchandise from a wider array of nations and football federations, adding complexity to an already strained global supply network.

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There have been quite a bit of logistical issues – maybe factory delays, maybe also due to the war, things not coming on time.

Weston Corporation, a prominent sports apparel chain, is striving to offer merchandise from 43 of the 48 participating nations, including World Cup newcomers Cape Verde and Jordan. However, Ami Chopra, sales director for football at Weston Corp., highlighted the difficulties. "There have been quite a bit of logistical issues – maybe factory delays, maybe also due to the war, things not coming on time," he stated. Obtaining specific items, such as Iran's national team jersey, has proven particularly arduous, requiring complex routing through multiple countries.

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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 of the tournament itself presents a substantial hurdle. "It's been a struggle… (There’s) a lot of work from my team sourcing stuff. It’s really tough," Ami added, emphasizing the increased workload involved in sourcing from more nations and federations.

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It's been a struggle … (There’s) a lot of work from my team sourcing stuff. It’s really tough.

Beyond traditional jerseys and memorabilia, fan interest is growing for collectible cards and sticker albums. Despite these obstacles, retailers like Weston Corporation report encouraging early demand, anticipating further surges once the tournament commences. In contrast, Crown Sports, another retailer, has minimized delays by initiating preparations months ahead of schedule. Their director, Gori Johal, stressed the importance of early demand projection: "We have to project (demand) much earlier, so if you lose that race, then you won't get the item again." Crown Sports is strategically focusing on merchandise from teams expected to generate the strongest interest in Singapore, such as Argentina, France, England, Portugal, and Brazil, rather than attempting to stock items from every participating nation.

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We have to project (demand) much earlier, so if you lose that race, then you won't get the item again.