Houston Customs Officers Confiscate $9M in Fake World Cup Gear

WHO:

KHOU - CBP officers with the IAH Trade Enforcement Team

KHOU - CBP Area Port Director Roderick Hudson

WHAT:

KHOU - The seized counterfeit items included jerseys, shorts, shot glasses, hand fans, soccer balls, whiskey decanters, and soccer jerseys designed for dogs.

KHOU - The counterfeit merchandise included fake national team jerseys representing countries such as the United States, Mexico, Portugal, France, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Argentina, and Ecuador.

KHOU - CBP officers seized nearly 20,000 counterfeit items.

KHOU - The estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail value of the counterfeit items was just under $9 million.

CW39 Houston - CBP reported that nearly $9 million in counterfeit FIFA World Cup merchandise was seized since May.

WHERE:

KHOU - Houston airport

WHEN:

CW39 Houston - The seizures have occurred since May.

WHY:

KHOU - CBP Area Port Director Roderick Hudson stated, "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."

KHOU - The merchandise was found to violate intellectual property rights, including trademarks owned by FIFA.

KHOU - CBP stated that counterfeit goods can harm consumers and businesses, with fake products sometimes made with lower-quality or unsafe materials.

KHOU - CBP warned consumers to be cautious when shopping online due to increased opportunities for counterfeit goods.

HOW:

KHOU - The counterfeit merchandise was part of an enforcement effort focused on shipments containing goods that violate trademarks and copyrights connected to the FIFA World Cup 2026.

KHOU - Most of the shipments originated in China and were headed to locations inside and outside the United States.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 01:29 UTC)

Customs and Border Protection has seized a large quantity of counterfeit merchandise, which includes items like jerseys, shorts, shot glasses, and even soccer jerseys designed for dogs. The fake national team jerseys represent a variety of countries, including the United States, Mexico, and Brazil, among others. CBP Area Port Director Roderick Hudson emphasized the importance of consumers being informed about their purchases, warning that deceptive global criminal networks are scamming sports fans and harming American consumers and businesses.

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(UPDATED July 27, 2026 19:29 UTC)

CBP officers at the Houston airport have seized nearly 20,000 counterfeit items, with an estimated retail value of just under $9 million, as part of an ongoing enforcement effort targeting merchandise that violates FIFA's intellectual property rights. Since May, these counterfeit goods, primarily FIFA World Cup merchandise, have been intercepted, with most shipments originating from China and destined for various locations. CBP warns consumers to be cautious when shopping online, as counterfeit products can pose risks due to lower-quality or unsafe materials.