With the 2026 FIFA World Cup nearly a year away, Yiwu-often dubbed the "World's Supermarket"-is already bustling with activity.

As one of the most influential global sporting events, the quadrennial World Cup consistently drives a wave of sports consumption. Buyers from around the world are arriving early to purchase a wide variety of sports products, while local merchants are busy stocking up and fulfilling orders.

Data from Yiwu Customs shows that from January to August this year, the city's exports of sports goods and equipment reached 7.89 billion yuan, an 18.3 percent year-on-year increase. Exports to the three host countries-the United States, Canada and Mexico-totaled 2.15 billion yuan, up 10.1 percent from the same period last year.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service■