Yiwu factories net early orders for World Cup merchandise

HANGZHOU, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Even with nearly a year to go before the 2026 World FIFA Cup, factories in Yiwu -- the eastern Chinese city known as "the world's supermarket" -- are already churning out soccer balls, team jerseys and fan scarves for the tournament.

Orders are rolling in, mostly from Mexico, Europe and the United States, transforming this hub of small-commodity manufacturing into a scoring zone for