en.Wedoany.com Reported - In the early hours of June 12, Beijing time, the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico kicked off at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. During the opening ceremony, Pop Mart's trendy toy IP LABUBU appeared as a large character, with two LABUBU figures wearing football jerseys emerging in the center of the field, interacting with the live audience and broadcast cameras. Global Times reported, citing on-site video, that LABUBU made a special guest appearance at the World Cup opening ceremony, and related topics subsequently trended on Chinese social media platforms.
This appearance boosted the exposure of Pop Mart's collaboration series with FIFA. TechNode reported that the two LABUBU figures at the opening ceremony wore different football-themed outfits—one holding the World Cup trophy, and the other equipped with fan interaction props. Pop Mart subsequently announced that the THE MONSTERS × FIFA World Cup collaboration series had been simultaneously launched in over 40 countries and regions, with some online inventory selling out on the first day.
From a product design perspective, the LABUBU World Cup collaboration is not a single accessory but a set of licensed merchandise developed around football consumption scenarios. People's Daily Japanese Edition previously reported that the World Cup series LABUBU displayed at Pop Mart stores in Shanghai wore a customized No. 10 jersey and held a detachable replica of the FIFA World Cup Trophy. The series also includes mini bags, blind boxes, and other peripherals. The report also noted that this marks the first time FIFA has licensed an art toy IP for collaboration with the World Cup.
Sales momentum emerged early in the launch phase. Jiupai News reported that the THE MONSTERS × FIFA series includes products such as vinyl plush dolls, lanyards, mini hanging lights, bottle opener fridge magnets, glass cups, and football mini bags, with domestic prices ranging from 59 yuan to 599 yuan. After its release in April, the collaboration series quickly sold out on official stores on platforms like JD.com and Taobao, and the official mini-program page experienced lag at one point.
Price performance also saw an initial rise followed by a decline. Reports show that the official retail price of the LABUBU "Catch the Win" vinyl plush doll was 599 yuan. Early in the release, due to short-term shortages on official channels, it rose to 718 yuan on the secondary market, a premium of 119 yuan. By the morning of June 12, as official stock was replenished, the transaction price fell to 586 yuan, 13 yuan below the official retail price, with an average transaction price of approximately 587.64 yuan since launch.
It is important to note that the character models appearing at the opening ceremony are not entirely identical to all product styles currently available to consumers. Public product pages show that the THE MONSTERS × FIFA SERIES-Catch the Win Vinyl Plush Doll, sold in the U.S. market, is priced at $149.99, with an online release date of April 2, 2026. The product dimensions are approximately 19×16×38 cm, and the main materials include polyester fiber, PVC, and ABS.
For Pop Mart, the World Cup opening ceremony provided not just an ordinary advertising slot, but a highly concentrated cultural exposure window within a global sports event. LABUBU's journey from trendy toy stores, social media, and celebrity accessories to the World Cup stage demonstrates that original Chinese IPs are establishing more direct connections through licensed merchandise, international events, and younger consumer groups. Whether the collaboration series will continue to sell well depends on restocking pace, the tournament cycle, and consumer enthusiasm for World Cup merchandise. However, this opening ceremony appearance has already given LABUBU a global-level public exposure.
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