Labubu joins FIFA World Cup in first official merchandise partnership

Labubu’s leap into FIFA is more than a cute crossover. Pop Mart has turned THE MONSTERS into a globally licensed merchandise play, and Forbes called this the line’s first official sports collaboration, a rare landing for an art-toy character on a platform as mainstream as the World Cup. For collectors, that matters because it points to more than one plush or blind box. It signals a path toward broader licensed figures, region-specific releases, and the kind of demand that can push a drop straight from shelf item to resale target.

The release is branded THE MONSTERS × FIFA SERIES, and Pop Mart’s U.S. product page says it went online on April 2, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. PST. The lineup starts with a $149.99 Catch the Win vinyl plush doll and stretches into everyday carry pieces that feel built for display as much as use: a $32.99 vinyl plush pendant, a $29.99 football-shaped mini bag blind box, a $12.99 glass cup blind box, a $15.99 bottle opener fridge magnet blind box, a $20.99 mini pendant light blind box, and a $29.99 long lanyard blind box. Pop Mart’s own line for the drop captures the mood: “Small player. Big dreams. LABUBU goes for gold in THE MONSTERS × FIFA SERIES. Play it your way.”

The timing is doing as much work as the product mix. CGTN said the collaboration was being shown in Pop Mart stores across mainland China, while related launch coverage said stock had already sold through online and in physical locations, leaving only sample displays in some stores. Forbes also reported that Pop Mart and FIFA planned pop-ups and installations across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, which gives the release a regional retail arc rather than a single online moment. For a character with a fan base built on chasing, trading, and hunting variants, that kind of rollout is exactly the sort of thing that can sharpen demand.

Pop Mart has also spent years building the myth around the character itself. The company says artist Kasing Lung created THE MONSTERS in 2015, drawing from Nordic mythology, and describes Labubu as mischievous-looking but kind-hearted. Pop Mart says it now operates in more than 23 countries and regions, with 350-plus offline stores and 2,000 Roboshops, which makes the FIFA partnership feel less like a one-off stunt and more like a test of how far Labubu can travel inside licensed retail. If the World Cup is the biggest stage yet, THE MONSTERS × FIFA SERIES shows Pop Mart is ready to keep playing for larger territory.