Just before the World Cup, UK Border Force, Trading Standards & the Intellectual Property Office told Sky Sports about a huge seizure of counterfeit football shirts. There were over 1000 mainly England and Scotland World Cup shirts, all were fake with the proceeds going to organised crime gangs. It was a significant operation and a large seizure just days before World Cup 2026 kicked off.
However those involved and other engaged law enforcement agencies expected further operations during the World Cup to highlight the size of the illegal & dangerous market in fake football shirts.
Operations involving the City of Edinburgh Trading Standards assisted by Police Scotland and the National Trading Standards Intellectual Property team in Newport Trading Standards has made what is estimated to be the largest ever seizures of it’s kind in the UK. It was huge.
City of Edinburgh Trading Standards officials seized 58,000 counterfeit football shirts & kit, all intended to be sold illegally during the World Cup. The kits weighed in at 9 tonnes and had an estimated retail value in excess of £5.5 million.
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