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UAE retailers stock up on Argentina, Spain merch ahead of Fifa World Cup title clash
The jerseys are available at different price points; basic versions start from around Dh20, while premium jerseys cost between Dh50 and Dh60
- PUBLISHED: Sat 18 Jul 2026, 1:02 PM UPDATED: Sun 19 Jul 2026, 9:49 AM
The excitement around the Fifa World Cup 2026 final is not just filling cafes and sports zones in Dubai, it is also driving a surge in sales of team merchandise across the city.
From jerseys and T-shirts to mugs, flags, shawls and keychains, shops in markets across Dubai said demand for Argentina and Spain merchandise has shot up after both teams booked their places in the final.
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Traders told Khaleej Times that retailers began rushing to wholesalers within hours of the semifinal results to stock up on products, expecting football fans to buy them before the title clash.
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Abdul Badi, who runs a wholesale store in Dubai's Old Souk in Deira, said retailers started placing orders as soon as the finalists were confirmed.
"The morning after Spain won, retailers started coming to us asking for Spain T-shirts and other merchandise because they wanted to stock their shops," he said. "We sold a large quantity."
The same happened after Argentina reached the final. "We stocked Argentina flags, T-shirts and shawls, and the morning after their win; demand increased sharply," said Abdul Badi.
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According to him, both teams are attracting buyers, although Spain merchandise is currently selling slightly more.
"Both are selling well, but we have noticed that Spain merchandise is in greater demand than Argentina's. It looks like more people in the UAE are supporting Spain," he said.
The demand is also spreading beyond the UAE. "We are supplying merchandise not only to shops in Dubai but also to traders in Oman and Qatar," said Badi.
Retailers said that the interest has been building throughout the tournament but has now narrowed to the two finalists. Ahmed Muneeb, a salesman at a popular discount store in Sharjah said Spain jerseys had been selling steadily since the team reached the Round of 16. Argentina merchandise followed a similar trend.
"Earlier, people were asking for jerseys of different teams. But now almost everyone coming to the shop is looking for either Spain or Argentina merchandise because they want to wear their favourite team's jersey while watching the final," he said.
The jerseys are available at different price points depending on the material and quality. Basic versions start from around Dh20, while premium jerseys cost between Dh50 and Dh60.
SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.