Footballs, fan flags, cheering gadgets and tournament souvenirs flooding the World Cup venues are mostly made in Yiwu. Yiwu’s sports goods account for around 70% of the world’s World Cup merchandise market. In the first four months of 2026, the city exported sports products worth 3.77 billion yuan, with football-related shipments jumping notably compared with the last World Cup cycle.
Landlocked and without a seaport, Yiwu delivers massive orders worldwide on schedule thanks to an integrated multi-modal transport network combining sea, rail, air and postal services.
Sea-Rail Intermodal Transport: An Inland "Sixth Port" Connects to Ocean Routes
The Yiwu-Ningbo Zhoushan Port sea-rail line serves as the main shipping channel for World Cup goods. The Suxi International Hub operates as Ningbo Zhoushan Port’s inland "Sixth Port", enabling one-stop booking, customs declaration and inspection locally with one-time clearance, eliminating repeated transit procedures.
It cuts transit time by 2–3 days and logistics costs by over 15% versus road-only transport. Custom fast ocean routes to North America and the Middle East guarantee on-time delivery for tournament stock.
Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe Freight Trains: Steel Camel Carries Goods Across Eurasia
For European and Central Asian markets, Yiwu-Xinjiang-Europe China-Europe Railway Express links more than 160 cities across over 50 Eurasian countries. It efficiently transports bulk fan apparel and commemorative items.
The innovative full-chain model of sea-rail transport, bonded logistics and rail freight consolidates scattered small orders, making global World Cup business accessible to small and medium-sized merchants.
Air & Postal Services: Cover Urgent and Small-batch Orders
Air freight handles rush replenishments and high-value lightweight merchandise shortly before matches. The international mail exchange station sorts up to 300,000 parcels daily, reaching over 220 countries and regions to support cross-border e-commerce retail orders.
Digitized Customs & Smart Hubs Smooth Full Export Chain
Market procurement trade enables ultra-fast customs clearance in as little as 18 seconds. Goods from other domestic regions can be inspected in Yiwu without returning to their origin. Automated equipment at smart rail yards boosts loading efficiency.
Coupled with Yiwu’s flexible supply chain that rolls out new popular merchandise within 48 hours, multiple logistics channels ship hot products globally without delay.
Intermodal Network Boosts Competitiveness of Chinese Manufacturing
The multi-layered transport system breaks geographic limits for inland cities. Large full-container shipments go via sea-rail or rail express, while small parcels rely on air and post, letting businesses of all sizes tap global demand. Alternate transport routes mitigate risks from shipping fluctuations and external uncertainties.
World Cup merchandise traveling thousands of miles to stadiums stands as a prime example of Chinese manufacturing empowered by advanced comprehensive logistics. A tightly woven intermodal network unblocks the arteries for Chinese brands going global, solidifying Made-in-China’s presence on the world’s biggest sporting stages.
