SEMARANG – The excitement for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has begun to spread across Semarang, as seen from the soaring sales of original national team jerseys at various sports outlets.

At the Sport Direct outlet in DP Mall, for instance, sales have surged significantly in the lead-up to the world’s biggest football tournament, both for supporter and replica versions of the jerseys.

Store Admin of Sports Direct DP Mall, Muhammad Azharuddin, stated that jersey sales have increased two to three times compared to regular days.

“The jersey sales are really good. Normally we sell a certain amount, but now the increase reaches two to three times more,” he said on Thursday (28 May 2026).

He explained that the public’s enthusiasm has grown as many people want to take part in the festive atmosphere of the global football celebration.

Azharuddin emphasized that all jerseys sold at Sports Direct are original products. The store only offers official jerseys from various international sports brands.

“At Sports Direct, we only sell original products. Since we are under MAP, we exclusively sell authentic merchandise,” he explained.

Interestingly, the purchasing trend has started to shift.

Previously, many customers preferred imitation or counterfeit jerseys, but now more people are opting for the official but more affordable supporter or fan versions.

“People are becoming more educated. They now prefer to buy the fan version instead of the fake ones,” he added.

According to him, Adidas fan version jerseys are priced around Rp350,000, while replica versions cost between Rp1 million and Rp1.2 million.

Several national team jerseys have already sold out. The white away jersey of Japan has become the best-selling item in the store.

For the 2026 World Cup edition, Japan’s national team jersey design stands out for its visual appeal.

Featuring black stripes on the shoulders reminiscent of baseball uniforms, the jersey is accented with colorful vertical lines on both the front and back, creating a vibrant look.

The jersey is not only ideal for sports but is also popular as casual wear.

“Our best-seller is Japan’s away jersey. The color is great and it’s in high demand. Only one or two left now,” he said.

Besides Japan’s jersey, Germany’s white home jersey has also sold out quickly.

The Argentina national team jersey, particularly those featuring Lionel Messi’s nameset, has also been a crowd favorite.

“Argentina jerseys with Messi’s nameset sell out fast too. Many customers specifically look for the ones with Messi’s name,” he shared.

Additionally, jerseys from Brazil, the Netherlands, France, and Spain have also seen increased demand.

According to Azharuddin, the design of this year’s World Cup jerseys is more appealing, attracting both collectors and football enthusiasts.

“We have regular customers who always come and buy as soon as new jerseys are released,” he noted.

He added that the most popular sizes, which sell out first, are M and L — sizes that fit most local customers.

Meanwhile, the sizes that usually remain are S and XL.

“When sales are really high, the only sizes left are S and XL. M and L sell out the fastest,” he concluded.