Belgian customs seized large quantities of counterfeit football shirts ahead of World Cup

In the run-up to the World Cup, Belgian customs have seized a significant number of counterfeit football shirts: 1,300 have been confiscated in recent weeks. Customs expect the peak to continue throughout the World Cup, particularly while the Red Devils remain in the tournament. Buyers of counterfeit shirts risk a fine from the brand owner.

No World Cup is complete without supporters in full kit: football fanatics love to don the shirt of their favourite team and player. To avoid the relatively high cost of the official shirts, many people order theirs from dodgy online shops.

“Counterfeiting is a year-round phenomenon,” stated Francis Adyns, spokesperson for the ministry of Finance. “Last year, customs seized 40,000 fake shirts, mainly from top clubs such as PSG or FC Barcelona.” However, during major tournaments such as the World Cup, seizures increase significantly, with shirts of national teams naturally proving particularly popular.

In the past few weeks alone, customs officials have intercepted around 1,300 shirts. These almost always originate from China and arrive at Brussels Airport and Liege Airport.

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The ministry of Finance emphasises that counterfeit products are illegal. This means the genuine manufacturer misses out on profits, and it poses risks for the buyer. “The products have not been checked for quality and safety,” warned Adyns. Anyone who buys a counterfeit shirt also risks having to pay a fine to the brand owner.

If customs suspect that the goods are counterfeit, the brand owner will come to check whether this is indeed the case. Ultimately, the brand owner also bears the costs of destruction or recycling. “These costs are then often passed on to the buyer,” Adyns pointed out.

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A new trend has emerged this year. Customs are finding an increasing number of shirts on which buyers could personalise the name or shirt number.

Customs expect this peak to continue throughout the World Cup, particularly while the Red Devils remain in the tournament. Checks will therefore remain a key focus, emphasised Adyns.

^{Training session of Belgium's national football team © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM}