Chinese Yi embroidery makes World Cup debut in official products

China's centuries-old Yi embroidery has been included in the official licensed product program of the FIFA World Cup for the first time, bringing one of the country's traditional handicrafts to football fans around the globe at the 2026 edition of the tournament.

Artisans in Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, in southwest China's Yunnan Province have been working to complete a special order of World Cup merchandise that will be sold through FIFA's official online and retail channels. The collaboration covers 30 products across 11 series, including silk scarves, baseball caps and handbags, with total orders reaching 830,000 yuan (approximately $114,000). More than 300 embroiderers are involved in the project.

With a history of around 1,800 years, Yi embroidery is recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage of China renowned for its intricate patterns and distinctive stitching techniques. Designers adapted traditional Yi motifs for modern products, while also preserving the handcrafted methods that give each item its unique character.

Chen Haiyan, one of the Yi embroidery cultural and creative designers, said the project demanded some of the team's most advanced techniques. She explained that several products required double-sided embroidery on delicate mulberry silk, while baseball caps combined lock, seed, winding and edge stitching methods to create durable, three-dimensional designs beyond the capabilities of machine embroidery.

Among the collection is a notebook featuring a traditional Yi sun flower pattern, embroidered using seed stitching to highlight the texture and craftsmanship of the design. Maintaining those techniques while meeting the quality standards required for official World Cup merchandise presented a significant challenge for the artisans.

For the embroiderers, the collaboration is more than a commercial opportunity. The World Cup provides an international platform for a craft that has been passed down through generations, allowing traditional Chinese culture to reach a global audience through one of the world's biggest sporting events.

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