Authorities in Hong Kong have seized suspected counterfeit World Cup merchandise worth an estimated HK$156 million (US$19.91 million), including jerseys and footballs, in one of the city's largest recent crackdowns on fake sports goods.
The operation led to the confiscation of around 230,000 items, according to officials from the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau.
The seized goods are believed to include replica national team jerseys and footballs linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which began on 11 June and is being jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Senior investigator Wayne Chung said the items closely resembled official merchandise and were primarily intended for export rather than local sale.
“Many of the jerseys are uniforms of the participating countries. We noticed all of these clothes are set to be exported to other countries, not for local market. At least 80% of them head to America,” Chung said.
Officials said the timing of the seizure reflected a surge in global demand for World Cup-related merchandise, which is often exploited by counterfeit networks during major sporting events.
Authorities said the operation highlighted ongoing efforts to combat intellectual property theft during major international tournaments, when demand for jerseys, equipment and memorabilia typically spikes.
Hong Kong has long served as a transit hub for global trade, making it a key focus for enforcement actions targeting counterfeit goods destined for overseas markets.
Officials said investigations were continuing to identify the supply chains behind the seized items and prevent further distribution ahead of peak World Cup sales periods.
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