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Indianapolis customs officers seized an estimated $134,000 worth of counterfeit World Cup merchandise earlier this month, officials announced Monday.
As soccer fans from around the world visit the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Indy have already been on the prowl for sales of fake merchandise.
From June 1 to June 5, the Indy CBP office conducted Operation Winner’s Circle, seizing 18 shipments of counterfeit FIFA World Cup merch, according to CBP. In total, the officers seized 1,578 items that the CBP estimates, if genuine, would have amounted to a combined manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $134,594.
“Sports fans often pay big money for sports memorabilia,” Indianapolis Port Director Brett Mueller said in a press release Monday. “Counterfeit sports memorabilia defunds our sports organizations, funds criminal networks, and scams the fans. Officers in Indianapolis work hard each day to protect our domestic businesses and American consumers.”
According to CBP, the seized items included 530 World Cup-related jerseys, 380 beanies, 349 shirts and 319 other items.
Most of the seized shipments came from Hong Kong and were headed to places both in and outside the U.S., the agency said.
FIFA teams from around the globe traveled to the country earlier this month, with 39 of the 48 qualified teams assigned a training site in the U.S.; seven teams are in Mexico, and two are in Canada, according to U.S. Soccer.
The training sites will serve as the team’s home away from home for the length of the tournament.
No team is training in Indiana. Droplight Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield was one of 62 sites on the list of options that teams could choose to train at. And while several teams expressed interest in the facility, they ultimately passed it over in favor of locations closer to the various tournament host cities.
CBP warned consumers on Monday to shop from reputable online sources not only for sports memorabilia, but also for medication, cosmetics, toys, clothes, jewelry and electronics.
“Counterfeit commodities fund smugglers and organized crime,” CBP said. “Consumers often believe they are buying genuine products but soon realize the items are substandard.
According to the agency, more than 90% of all counterfeit seizures come from international mail and express environments, which are channels for small e-commerce packages destined for the U.S.
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