A buyer selects balls at Yiwu International Trade Market. [Photo/Tide News]

Yiwu, known as the "World's Supermarket" in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, is buzzing with commercial activity in anticipation of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, with merchants preparing since last year, shipping their products worldwide.

As the tournament nears, Yiwu International Trade Market is bustling with international buyers finalizing their orders in the sports goods section. From soccer balls and shirts to fan scarves, Yiwu serves as the source for nearly every World Cup-related product.

Businesses began stockpiling a year in advance for this quadrennial soccer extravaganza. Orders have surged, with some shirt exporters seeing a two- to threefold increase over usual volumes, and soccer ball factories have ramped up production to 5,000 units per day, operating at full capacity.

Capitalizing on the unique features of the cup's host countries — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — merchants have launched custom products to capture market share.

According to Yiwu Customs, from January to April this year, Yiwu exported 3.77 billion yuan ($557.12 million) worth of sports goods and equipment, marking a 7.9 percent increase year-on-year. As it transitions from competing on price to focusing on creativity and patents, Yiwu's manufacturing sector is accelerating its transformation, riding the wave of World Cup fever.