It’s the home stretch of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the sale of counterfeit jerseys isn’t slowing down.
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Thousands of fake jerseys were seized by federal authorities, and they are warning that buying a cheap knockoff could come with a much higher cost.
For people who have been to a World Cup match or visited the Fan Fest, they’ve probably seen people selling jerseys on the street.
While it may look like a harmless bargain, federal authorities said those fake jerseys can help fund criminal organizations and may even pose safety risks for the people buying them.
The jerseys that are sold are made to look like the real thing, but an authentic jersey can cost a few hundred dollars.
Officials said this is about more than saving money.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there’s no way to know what these products are made of or who profits from them.
“First of all, the quality of the merchandise, you’re not sure what you’re buying, the ink, the product,” said Robert del Toro, acting port director at Miami International Airport. “What you”e wearing, there’s no quality check…you’re losing money.”
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Authorities said counterfeit goods also hurt legitimate businesses, but their biggest concern is where the money ends up.
“All the proceeds of these sales go to foreign criminal organizations, whether it’s drug trafficking, trafficking humans, modeling you name it.”
Federal officials said counterfeit imports have ramped up since the start of the World Cup, especially in South Florida, serving as a gateway for shipments.
CBP officers said Miami intercepted more than 16,000 counterfeit jerseys in a single shipment.
And the crackdown doesn’t stop here.
“This is still an ongoing effort, not just within the state of Florida; it’s happening nationwide,” Irizarry said. “You know CBP is pretty much very much embedded, involved and ensuring that this type of products don’t come into the country.”
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