How Jackie Never Liked Soccer Became a Key Supplier to the World Cup
The massive business opportunities brought by the FIFA World Cup captured Jackie’s ambition. Since then, a year before each tournament kicks off, he has arranged early production preparations for soccer-related goods.Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a client from Saudi Arabia approached Jackie. Officially licensed to produce themed merchandise, the partner planned to manufacture one million commemorative soccer balls printed with flags of all 32 participating countries—and wanted Jackie to fulfill the order. In less than a week, Jackie delivered all the design drafts, leaving the client astonished by the “China speed.”
The massive business opportunities brought by the FIFA World Cup captured Jackie’s ambition. Since then, a year before each tournament kicks off, he has arranged early production preparations for soccer-related goods.
Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a client from Saudi Arabia approached Jackie. Officially licensed to produce themed merchandise, the partner planned to manufacture one million commemorative soccer balls printed with flags of all 32 participating countries—and wanted Jackie to fulfill the order. In less than a week, Jackie delivered all the design drafts, leaving the client astonished by the “China speed.”
Since entering the import-export business in 2005, Jackie has continuously expanded into soccer peripheral products. One of his designs, a smartphone case for fans, sold over five million units across Europe. He frequently traveled throughout South America and Europe, carrying samples and negotiating cooperation agreements with local clubs and distributors.
“Our products are among the best available in both quality and design,” Jackie stated. His core markets are in Europe and South America, where he sells over one million footballs, jerseys, scarves, and other soccer-related products every year. He has been collaborating with Spanish importers since as early as 2012.
According to Jackie, producing a single soccer ball involves nearly ten steps—from material cutting and printing to stitching, inflation testing, and final packaging. “With over 60 workers and specialized equipment, our factory can produce 3,000 balls per day,” he explained. “Even though 100,000 balls can be made in just over a month, we constantly receive new orders from other clients and have to manage parallel production lines.”
Past experience has shown that match outcomes directly affect order volumes. The deeper a team advances, the higher the demand for its merchandise. Factories and retailers often “bet” on several strong teams, prioritizing their output to accommodate potential last-minute replenishment orders.
In early 2022, a U.S. client initially ordered 5,000 soccer balls. When their national team qualified for the main tournament, the customer immediately requested an additional shipment.
“Although rising costs of raw materials and labor have squeezed our profit margins per ball, the growing popularity of the World Cup has led to higher order volumes and year-on-year revenue growth,” Jackie noted. “It has also allowed our international clients to earn stronger market returns and build brand loyalty among fans.”
Original Designs: From Sketch to Jersey
“The year before each World Cup is exceptionally busy. Not only do overseas orders surge, but domestic jersey sales also multiply,” said Jackie, inspecting sample jerseys in his workshop. “These are original designs made for the World Cup. There’s no room for error.”
Since starting in the industry in 2005, Jackie has focused heavily on the jersey business. “I never liked sports or soccer growing up, but I’ve become a steadfast behind-the-scenes supporter of the World Cup—and that’s something my clients truly value.”
After 15 years of dedication, he has grown from a small vendor into a renowned jersey manufacturer in China. During the 2018 World Cup, he exported 1.8 million jerseys. While watching a match, he was thrilled to see fans wearing his products in the stands. “As someone who doesn’t follow soccer, that was an emotional moment.”
Original design, however, doesn’t come easy.
Last March, Jackie began designing jerseys for World Cup teams. He started by hand-sketching concepts before working with professional designers to refine colors and details through repeated revisions.
“A good jersey isn’t just about changing colors. To avoid generic looks, we incorporate unique cultural and national symbols into the designs,” Jackie explained. For example, the Argentina fan jersey retains the classic blue-and-white stripes but also features a sun emblem and two stars, representing the country’s two World Cup victories. “Even though these are new designs, fans can easily recognize which country the jersey represents.”
World Cup Peripheral Industry Booms
The World Cup frenzy has also driven growth in souvenirs such as trophies and badges—and even boosted logistics and transportation. Jackie told reporters that his factory had been operating at full capacity producing World Cup-related items. With nearly two decades in the industry, he has received orders for official World Cup trophies, emblems, and other collectibles from international clients every tournament cycle. This year, order volume increased by nearly 50% compared to previous years.
In addition to trophies, Jackie also designed accessories featuring local Qatari motifs, such as emblem badges, key chains, and car ornaments. Many clients placed custom orders for these items to give as gifts during the World Cup when visiting partners and friends.
Contact Information
Jackie
BSA GROUP
Yiwu, Zhejiang
China
Tel/whatsapp: +86 177-2151-9382
Email: support@best-suourcing-agent.com
Website: https://best-suourcing-agent.com
Company Details
Organization: BSA GROUP
Contact Person: jackie huang
Website: https://best-sourcing-agent.com
Email: Send Email
Contact Number: +8617721519382
Address: 3040 NW Autumn St
City: corvallis
State: Oregon
Country: China
Release Id: 04092533455