Fanatics Lands Retail and Merchandise Deal for FIFA 2026 World Cup
Fanatics will exclusively run the FIFA World Cup 2026 retail and merchandising operations, the company announced Dec. 4. The World Cup, set to take place this summer in 16 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, is expected to draw more than 1 million soccer fans, according to Reuters. Fanatics, the global sports platform whose businesses span commerce, collectibles, betting and gaming, will oversee the in-venue retail operations across those 16 cities, where matches will be held mostly in NFL stadiums. It's the most expansive on-site retail operations Fanatics has managed to date.
Fanatics previously collaborated with FIFA during the organization's inaugural Club World Cup held in the U.S. this past summer. The retailer said it would work with a variety of world-class brands and official FIFA merchandise partners to curate a robust fan gear assortment for all nations — 48 will compete in all — and also build out retail experiences at official FIFA Fan Festival locations within host cities.
Total Retail's Take: The 2026 World Cup will be the largest in history — 48 teams, 16 cities, millions of attendees — and Fanatics will be expected to deliver localized, hyper-relevant product assortments in real time. This will require from the retailer an unprecedented blend of supply chain agility, data-driven forecasting, and rapid on-demand production. Fanatics has thus far met expectations in the smaller-scale retail deals it has landed, but the 2026 World Cup will be the ultimate test to become the dominant force in global sports commerce.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 presents an extraordinary opportunity to delight fans at the world’s biggest sporting event with our unique capabilities,” said Andrew Low Ah Kee, CEO of Fanatics Commerce. “We’re bringing together our expertise across event and physical retail operations, buying and merchandising, product creation, and rapid production to serve millions of fans in real time. This is exactly the kind of challenge our team loves — supporting the world's fans through the joy of sport.”
