A worker inspects national flags for the World Cup event in a factory in Yiwu, East China’s Zhejiang province in July 2018. The city’s factories are rushing to make goods ranging from national flags to World Cup trophies with the FIFA 2022 World Cup fast approaching. Photo: VCG

An England fan blows a vuvuzela during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The horn instrument became popular during that tournament and most of them were exported from Yiwu, China’s manufactory hub. Photo: VCG

World Cup goods on display in a shop in Yiwu on Oct. 13. Official statistics shows Yiwu’s total value of imports and exports of goods reached more than 300 billion yuan in the first eight months of this year, increasing 29.8% over the same period in 2021. Photo: IC Photo

A man organizes hand-shaped clappers in his store. Yiwu has exported 3.82 billion yuan of sporting goods and 9.66 billion yuan of toys in the first eight months of this year, according to the Yiwu Sports and Fitness Products Industry Association. Photo: IC Photo

A worker wraps up national flags for export. Yiwu is expected to produce nearly 70% of World Cup-related goods for the international market for this year’s games. Photo: IC Photo

Workers piece together footballs in a factory assembly line. Photo: IC Photo

A 2022 World Cup football is on display outside a store. Photo: IC Photo

Replicas of World Cup Trophies are displayed at a shop window. Photo: IC Photo

Cainiao Network, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, launched a flight route to deliver sporting goods from Yiwu to Russia during the 2018 FIFA World Cup. For this year’s tournament, the company opened a shipping line on Sept. 16. Products departing from Ningbo and Shanghai can reach Qatar’s Hamad Port within 25 days. Photo: VCG