DHAKA, July 17, 2026 (BSS) – Although Bangladesh has yet to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals, the country’s presence at the world’s biggest football tournament is becoming increasingly visible.

While the Bangladesh national team is absent from the pitch, the jerseys worn by players from different countries bear the mark of Bangladeshi craftsmanship, expertise, and manufacturing technology.

Bangladesh is producing official World Cup match jerseys and sports apparel for leading international sports brands, helping elevate the country’s ready-made garment (RMG) industry to new heights in the global sportswear market.

According to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh is currently one of the world’s largest apparel exporters.

More than 80 percent of the country’s export earnings come from the RMG sector, which directly employs over four million workers while supporting several million more  ndirectly. Over the past two decades, Bangladesh has significantly expanded its capabilities beyond basic garments to include high-value sportswear, performance apparel, and internationally standardized athletic clothing.

State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam told BSS that Bangladesh’s garment industry has demonstrated its ability not only in producing everyday clothing but also in manufacturing high-quality sports apparel that meets international standards. “The use of jerseys made in Bangladesh at a prestigious event like the FIFA World Cup is a matter of great pride for the country’s industrial sector,” he said.

The state minister added that such international orders would contribute to higher export earnings, create new employment opportunities, and further strengthen the global  ecognition of the ‘Made in Bangladesh’ brand. He said the government aims to make Bangladesh more competitive in the global apparel industry by increasing technology-driven and value-added garment production. Industry sources say globally renowned brands including Adidas, Nike, Puma, Hummel, New Balance, Macron, and Capelli Sports have long sourced sportswear from Bangladesh.

Through these companies, jerseys, training kits, shorts, jackets, and other sports apparel are manufactured for national football teams, professional clubs, and fans around the world.

However, the specific factories producing each country’s jerseys are not always publicly disclosed. Nevertheless, industry insiders believe that a significant share of sports
apparel used in major international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup, is manufactured in Bangladesh.

A notable and confirmed example has emerged during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Garments Manufacturing & Assembling Ltd. (GMA), located in Turag, Dhaka, produced the official match jerseys for the Cape Verde national football team under contract for New York-based sportswear brand Capelli Sports.

The company manufactured approximately 5,000 official match jerseys for players and exported an additional 13,000 fan jerseys to supporters across different countries.

The achievement is widely regarded as a significant endorsement of Bangladesh’s growing capabilities in sports apparel manufacturing and the confidence international buyers have in the country’s industry.

Industry experts say that having Bangladesh-made jerseys featured at a global event like the World Cup represents more than just an export success-it is also a powerful international branding opportunity.

As hundreds of millions of viewers watch World Cup matches, Bangladesh’s manufacturing expertise, quality control and industrial capabilities gain indirect exposure in the global markets. This, they say, enhances the confidence of foreign buyers and increases the likelihood of securing new export orders. The global sportswear market continues to expand rapidly. Rising health awareness, the growth of professional sports, and the popularity of athleisure have prompted international brands to increase production.

With competitive manufacturing costs, a skilled workforce, and internationally compliant factories, Bangladesh is increasingly establishing itself as a key production hub.

Experts note that before major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championship, Copa América, and the Olympic Games, international brands place massive orders for jerseys and sportswear.

Meeting these orders boosts production activities in Bangladeshi factories, generating employment and economic activity across the value chain-from factory workers and engineers to merchandisers, quality control officers, packaging, transportation, ports, and logistics.

Economists said that long-term manufacturing agreements with international brands play an important role in Bangladesh’s foreign exchange earnings.

Although there are no separate official statistics on revenue generated specifically from World Cup jersey production, high-value sports apparel contributes greater value addition than conventional garments.

As a result, expansion of this segment is helping increase export earnings while strengthening Bangladesh’s position in the global apparel market. According to the BGMEA, Bangladesh currently exports garments to more than 150 countries. Supported by environmentally friendly factories, internationally recognized production standards, and a skilled workforce, the country has emerged as a major global producer not only of conventional apparel but also of high-value sportswear.

Industry stakeholders believe Bangladesh can further expand its share of the global sports apparel market through technology-driven manufacturing, research and development, innovation, and continued investment in skilled human resources.

They also emphasize that strengthening long-term partnerships with international brands will further increase export earnings, employment opportunities, and the global prestige of the ‘Made in Bangladesh’ label. BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan told BSS, “The use of Bangladesh-made jerseys at the world’s biggest sporting event reflects both the capability of our garment industry and the confidence international buyers place in Bangladesh. This is not merely a commercial success-it also strengthens the global acceptance of the ‘Made in Bangladesh’ brand.”

He said international brands now regard Bangladesh not only as a destination for basic garment production but also as a reliable partner for manufacturing high-quality sports apparel.

This is creating new opportunities for export orders, production of higher-value products, and increased foreign exchange earnings. Mahmud Hasan Khan further said that growing orders in the sportswear sector are also contributing positively to employment expansion.

The benefits extend across the entire value chain, including manufacturing, quality control, packaging, transportation, and supply chain management. If Bangladesh continues to enhance technology-driven production and workforce skills, its position in the global sports apparel market will become even stronger, he added.