U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says counterfeit jerseys representing the United States, Mexico, Portugal, France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Argentina, and Ecuador were among the items seized. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says agents at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston seized nearly 20,000 counterfeit FIFA World Cup 2026 merchandise.
CBP says counterfeit jerseys representing the United States, Mexico, Portugal, France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Argentina, and Ecuador and shorts, shot glasses, hand fans, soccer balls, whiskey decanters and even soccer jerseys for dogs, were seized. CBP says the items were valued at just under $9 million and were all Intellectual Property Rights violations, including trademarks owned by FIFA.
What they're saying:
"CBP has a significant role in protecting American consumers from low quality and potentially dangerous counterfeit items. Consumers should always be informed and know where they are buying their products. Too many global criminal networks are very deceptive in scamming sports fans and harming American consumers and businesses. CBP works tirelessly every day to protect the public, our local economy, and those who play by the rules," said CBP Area Port Director Roderick Hudson in a release.
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Dig deeper:
CBP says similar operations across the country have resulted in the seizure of thousands of items infringing on intellectual property rights, with most of the shipments originating from China and being destined for locations both within and outside the United States.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This story was reported from Orlando.