Even before the matches began, US Customs and Border Patrol agents were able to intercept huge shipments of fake World Cup souveniers.
Most Likely, Headed for Online Vendors
Although some were bound for various areas of the country, Customs did not specify, because the investigations are ongoing.
But whenever there’s a major event, such as the Super Bowl, or especially international, US Officials utilize various tracking and intelligence-gathering programs to determine what might be fake and what’s not. Huge shipments from overseas tend to get their attention.
The Fake Souveniers Were a Wide Range of Products.
Officials said between June 1st and 5th, 18 shipments that came into the Indianapolis port of entry from overseas were intercepted, and inspected. Inside, here’s some of the fake items they found:
“The seized shipments included 530 FIFA World Cup 2026™ jerseys, 380 beanies, 349 Puma, Adidas, and Nike shirts associated with the tournament, and 319 other FIFA World Cup 2026™ related items. Most shipments originated from Hong Kong and were destined for locations both within and outside the United States.”
Where Else Was the Swag Headed To?
It’s likely they were headed for online sellers, as FIFA and host cities pay close attention to, and monitor stadium vendors who are selling merchandise. The items must display the official FIFA sanctioning logos. Some of the counterfeit items still have the ‘official’ logos, but Customs says there are numerous ways they can spot a fake.
The street value of the counterfeit items was said to be in excess of $134,000. US Customs officials caution consumers about online purchases, especially if their deal appears to be “too good to be true.”:
“The rapid growth of e-commerce enables consumers to easily purchase millions of products online, but this access also gives counterfeit and pirated goods more ways to enter the U.S. economy.”
Customs did not say if any arrests were linked to the counterfeit shipments.
CHECK IT OUT: 100 sports records and the stories behind them