After 2002, the Chinese men's football team has never qualified for the World Cup. However, at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, elements of "China" were present everywhere.
"China Men's Soccer Missed the World Cup, But Chinese Brands Did Not." June 13th, Hong Kong South China Morning Post published an article claiming that domestic companies played a key role in this biggest football event by providing broadcast services and business sponsorships.
In a broadcast center in Dallas, thousands of devices provided by Lenovo are helping FIFA manage and distribute content from sports venues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, becoming one of the technical pillars of this World Cup.
Analysis suggests that the central role played by Chinese companies in the World Cup reveals a reality often overshadowed by Sino-US geopolitical tensions. Despite American policymakers’ efforts to suppress Chinese technology companies under the guise of “security,” and their attempts to reduce risks, Chinese companies are deeply integrated into the global business ecosystem, including this one of the highest-level international events in North America’s history.
Chinese companies hold some of the most critical commercial positions in FIFA. Lenovo is a partner of FIFA, Hisense is a sponsor and technology provider for the World Cup, and Mengniu has maintained a long-term partnership with this event.
On the early morning of June 12th, Beijing time, the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico officially kicked off. The opening ceremony was a sight to behold, with many celebrities in attendance, and global football fans celebrated this football event together. LabuBU, a popular IP under PopMate, made a stunning appearance as a special guest at the opening ceremony. As the first Chinese original IP invited to the World Cup, it witnessed this exciting moment alongside people around the world.
Lenovo and Hisense are the sponsors of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico and the United States.
FIFA estimates that the 2026 World Cup will generate sponsorship revenues of $2.5 billion to $3 billion. This makes it one of the sports events with the highest commercial value ever, and a dream platform for companies seeking global recognition.
This is a brand launch party for China," said Craig Allen, former U.S. ambassador and senior fellow at the Asia Society Think Tank.
Reports indicate that the high-profile presence of Chinese companies at the World Cup hosted in North America highlights the complex relationship between geopolitical competition and commercial integration. Despite the United States continuing to provoke China regarding trade, technology, and so-called “national security” issues, the global sporting events hosted by the US continue to provide Chinese brands with unparalleled global exposure opportunities.
"The FIFA World Cup is a global sporting event with hundreds of millions of fans from around the world watching," said Scott Kennedy, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "This shows that Chinese consumer companies are pursuing a global strategy aimed at global fans, which continues to be pursued regardless of any geopolitical tensions."
LabuBU appears at the World Cup opening ceremony on social media
The Nanyang Post mentioned that Lenovo's role in the event is an example of such a global strategy.
"If people only remember Lenovo as the sponsor of the World Cup and don't know how we, from a technical and innovative perspective, contributed something, then we failed," said Jeff Shev, Chief Communication Officer at Lenovo. His technology will power the International Football Federation's intelligent command center, a real-time operation center designed to support match management before, during, and after matches."
Lenovo is still providing artificial intelligence analysis tools for all 48 participating teams, apps for fans, and digital player models designed to assist match officials in making offside judgments.
The report stated that despite the disappointing results of the Chinese team on the field, Chinese companies have been steadily expanding their presence in the football commercial sector.
Lenovo is not the only Chinese company that played a key role in this competition.
Hisense has been a sponsor of the World Cup for many years, providing technology related to video replay systems and other competition operations. At the same time, Mengniu maintains a long-term partnership with FIFA.
Some experts believe that the increasingly important role played by companies such as Lenovo, Hisense, and Mengniu indicates that “China has become a leading participant in FIFA through its commercial activities.” However, others argue that this reflects more of the global ambitions of Chinese enterprises.
As Chinese companies confront Western competitors in the consumer electronics, home appliances, and other global markets, this major sports event provided a platform for Chinese enterprises to establish brand recognition on a global scale.
Canadian professor Simon Chadwick from SMC Business School pointed out that many European and North American companies have shifted to more targeted forms of marketing. However, Chinese enterprises continue to find value in global sports events. As a result, not only at the World Cup, but also in sports events such as the Olympics, European football championships, Africa, and other emerging markets, the presence of Chinese enterprises is increasing, and their influence is growing.
According to reports, despite the absence of the Chinese men’s football team from the World Cup, Chinese brands have established a place on the outside of the field.
