Fanatics, the international e-commerce and merchandising giant, has secured a major contract to operate on-site retail at all stadiums and fan festivals during international soccer’s flagship FIFA 2026 World Cup.
Under the contract, awarded by global soccer body FIFA, Fanatics will serve as the tournament’s official on-site retail licensee, tasked with managing in-venue retail operations for all 104 matches being held across the US, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19 next year.
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In addition, Fanatics will launch bespoke retail experiences at official fan festival locations within the 16 host cities.
Fanatics said it will work with a variety of brands and official FIFA merchandise partners to curate an assortment of fan gear for all 48 competing nations and will use its on-demand manufacturing capabilities and global supply chain, including local market operations in Canada, Mexico, and the US, to ensure rapid production and replenishment of core products.
Andrew Low Ah Kee, chief executive of Fanatics Commerce, said: “The FIFA World Cup 2026 presents an extraordinary opportunity to delight fans at the world’s biggest sporting event with our unique capabilities.
“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.”
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By GlobalDataThe new contract, Fanatics' most expansive on-site retail operation to date, builds on its previous partnership with FIFA for this year’s inaugural Club World Cup, which saw the company operate on-site retail across 12 venues in 11 US cities.
Fanatics manages the retail programs of other international competitions, including World Rugby's men's and women's World Cups, as part of a deal running through 2029.
Romy Gai, FIFA’s chief business officer, said: “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.
“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.”
The deal consolidates Fanatics’ dominance in the sports merchandising space, having secured partnerships with the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL, the four most prominent sports properties in the US.
Elsewhere, Fanatics also has deals in place with major soccer leagues and clubs, rugby competitions and teams, professional wrestling promotions (WWE), motorsport series (F1), prominent golf events, tennis tournaments, and more. These deals span areas such as merchandising, retail operation, e-commerce, uniform provision, collectables, trading cards, and even, recently, live events.
The scale of Fanatics’ business is such that in 2024, its revenue totaled $8.1 billion, up 36%, putting it ahead of other major sports-focused consumer-facing businesses such as video game company EA and sportswear heavyweight Puma.
Over 900 sports properties globally are partnered with Fanatics, with the firm subsequently servicing over 190 territories with its delivery business, aided by over 80 international facilities. Much of this has been powered by the growing interest in US sports, which has expanded retail sales globally as these leagues enter new markets.
