A buyer records the data of balls at the China Yiwu Stationery & Gift Exhibition in Yiwu, East China's Zhejiang Province, on June 3, 2024. With the approach of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, all kinds of sporting goods and Olympic-related products are popular at the exhibition, with brisk sales. Photo: VCG

As the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 2024) continues to captivate football fans worldwide, businesses in Yiwu, located in East China's Zhejiang Province, known as the world's small commodities hub, are seeing a significant increase in activity. Efficient local customs authorities and thriving e-commerce services are playing a crucial role in ensuring that goods are delivered promptly to fans.

Wen Congjian, a football jersey seller based in Yiwu, said that Euro 2024, Copa America and upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games are contributing to a significant increase in orders.

"I have shipped more than 300,000 jerseys so far, and the influx of orders has led to a 30 percent increase in our foreign trade business compared with last year," Wen told the Global Times on Monday.

As the games continue, Wen constantly gets new orders, especially when a team secures a victory. 

"This month, sales of football socks have doubled from the usual level, with the growth mainly coming from the European market," another Yiwu-based vendor surnamed Zheng said.

Toys that make noise or emit light, horns, LED foam sticks and hand bells are also popular items for Euro 2024 fans, according to media reports.

To further streamline clearance processes, Yiwu Customs has established a dedicated window for Euro 2024 merchandise at Yiwu Port, offering tailored guidance to companies dealing with sports equipment. More than 99 percent of export shipments can be cleared within seconds through "one-click" approval, the Global Times learned from Yiwu Customs.

According to Yiwu Customs data, exports of sports equipment and supplies from Yiwu stood at 4.1 billion yuan ($564.6 million) from January to May, up 44.4 percent year-on-year. 

The booming cross-border e-commerce industry is also an important platform to assist Chinese football goods in reaching overseas markets. To expedite shipping times, AliExpress and Cainiao opened special delivery lines to Europe, allowing for deliveries within five days.

In May, sales of football-related commodities on AliExpress increased by 80 percent year-on-year, with Spain and France emerging as the top markets. Package volumes headed for Europe tripled year-on-year in May, the Global Times learned from AliExpress on Monday.