Fanatics has scored a deal to be the official on-site retail licensee for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Its deal with FIFA means the sports platform will manage the in-venue retail operations for 104 matches over 39 days in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The tournament starts on June 11 and run through July 19.
The upcoming event will mark the first time the tournament has spanned three countries simultaneously and will feature an expanded field of 48 competing nations with matches hosted in 16 cities. In addition to in-venue retail, Fanatics will also create retail experiences at official FIFA Fan Festival locations within the host cities.
“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,” said Andrew Low Ah Kee, chief executive officer of Fanatics Commerce. “This is exactly the kind of challenge our team loves — supporting the world’s fans through the joy of sport.”
Fanatics will work with a wide range of brands and official FIFA merchandise partners to offer fan gear for all nations participating in the tournament. It will also use its on-demand manufacturing capabilities and global supply chain – including local market operations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico – to produce products immediately that commemorate highlights during the tournament.
A FIFA World Cup 2026 T-shirt.
Courtesy of Fanatics
“As we approach the FIFA World Cup 2026, we’re thrilled to partner with Fanatics to create many world-class retail experiences throughout the tournament,” said Romy Gai, FIFA’s chief business officer. “This is an incredibly complex undertaking, with 16 host cities across three countries, but Fanatics sets itself apart through an innovative merchandising approach and proven track record delivering standout results at the world’s biggest events.”
This partnership follows Fanatics’ collaboration with FIFA during this year’s inaugural Club World Cup, where the company operated on-site retail across 12 venues in 11 cities. The FIFA World Cup 2026, however, will mark the most expansive on-site retail operation that Fanatics has managed to date.