A Politico trade editor’s visit to the FIFA World Cup gift shop in 2026 found that nearly every souvenir was stamped “Made in Southeast Asia.” The discovery underscores the region’s role as the world’s factory floor for major sporting events—and hints at the lingering economic influence of Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
Tariffs imposed during Trump’s presidency pushed many global brands to shift sourcing from China to lower-cost Southeast Asian nations. The FIFA shop’s inventory—from jerseys to keychains—now reflects that shift, with tags from Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia dominating the shelves.
Politico did not provide specific trade figures or breakdowns by country. The article focused on the visible presence of Southeast Asian manufacturing rather than precise economic data about tariff impacts or export volumes.
The gift shop serves as a microcosm of a broader realignment in global supply chains, one that started with U.S. trade policy and has since become standard practice for multinational events. Whether future administrations maintain or reverse these patterns remains an open question.
The story offers a tangible, if anecdotal, look at how trade policy choices—even those from years past—still show up on the tags of World Cup souvenirs today.