2026 World Cup: French customs officials seize nearly 2,300 counterfeit jerseys

French customs officials announced Friday the interception of nearly 2,300 counterfeit World Cup jerseys, pointing the finger at Chinese online retailers. The counterfeit jerseys were seized "within five days" by customs officers in Marne-la-Vallée, east of Paris, where they inspected "a massive shipment of 1,100 packages containing all these illegal copies," customs officials stated in a press release. These suspicious packages were "linked to Chinese online commerce." Among the seized jerseys, customs officials highlighted those in the colors of the French national team, featuring a rooster surmounted by two stars representing Les Bleus' two World Cup victories. "These items infringe on the intellectual property rights of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), equipment manufacturers, and national teams," customs officials emphasized in their statement. This type of counterfeiting is "recurrent in the lead-up to major international sporting events," they added, specifying that the 2024 Paris Olympics resulted in "27,500 inspection missions." The FIFA World Cup will take place this summer in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, from June 11 to July 19. Counterfeiting affects all sectors and all countries, whether it involves clothing, toys, electronics, food, or pharmaceuticals, and represents 2.5% of global trade, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). AFP