The "2026 World Cup Fans Festival & The Place FIFA Pop-up Event" has kicked off in high gear. Featuring an official licensed pop-up store, a global gourmet market, immersive football interactive installations, and multicultural performances, the event offers a summer football home base for Shanghai families and fans of all ages.

Licensed IPs gathered – bring the World Cup home

At The Place, the entire mall has been transformed into an immersive football culture check-in destination, where licensed merchandise, player interactions, and trendy market attractions come together, drawing large crowds of visitors day after day. Life-size 1:1 standees of ten football superstars – including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé – can be seen everywhere, with many fans wearing replica jerseys and taking photos with each one.

A World Cup-themed canopy stretches down from Fengshang Street, with flag banners, three-dimensional lettering, and themed floor decals providing seamless guidance. At the championship prediction interactive wall, visitors line up to paste their favorite team's flag sticker, leaving their hopes on the wall – everyone gets a taste of being a "tournament prophet."

Inside the pop-up store zone in the North Atrium, over 200 officially FIFA-licensed World Cup merchandise items are neatly displayed, ranging from supporter jerseys and match balls to scarves and badges. The vintage collection area also showcases classic jerseys from past World Cups, with faded fabrics carrying the youthful memories of long-time fans.

The 2026 World Cup mascot three-piece set is undoubtedly the most popular item, flying off the shelves recently. The three adorable characters – Maple the Canadian moose, Sayu the Mexican jaguar, and Clutch the American bald eagle – were mostly pre-ordered shortly after being stocked. Also making its debut here is FIFA's first-ever 1:1 scale plush toy of the World Cup Trophy, striking a chord with family visitors. The highest honor in football has been transformed into a home décor piece, and many parents happily posed with their children holding the golden trophy, laughing as they said, "Let's bring the 'champion glory' home first."

Fan market debuts – great for strolling, eating, and sightseeing

The fan market on Fengshang Street offers something for every football enthusiast. The full range of World Cup player cards from two major international brands, Panini and Topps, is available, and the 2026 World Cup official collectible cards, co-branded by domestic leading card company KAYOU and Panini, make their debut. The excited exclamations from card pack openings have become the market's liveliest backdrop.

The well-known professional football equipment brand "Xiao Lizzi Football" not only brings in-stock jerseys of popular national teams but also offers on-site number printing services. A dedicated Shanghai Shenhua jersey sale area has local fans exclaiming, "This really hits home!" The ZURU FIFA player figure blind box booth also draws long queues, with lucky fans who pull hidden editions beaming with joy.

During the event, the Fengshang Street fan market and the circular plaza stage are divided into zones based on "continents," turning the competition on the pitch into a collision of flavors and cultures. From now until June 25, African Vibe Week brings robust and fiery South African-style barbecue, while European Week offers the bright Mediterranean flavors of Spanish paella and the rich taste of Central Europe with German-style sausage platters. From June 26 to July 5, the theme shifts to Latin American flair, where the tangy spice of Mexican tacos and the smoky aroma of Brazilian barbecue take center stage. In addition to food, the market also features lifestyle and aesthetic brands, with cultural and creative stalls offering African apparel and accessories, Southern French handmade crafts, World Cup-themed silver jewelry, and intangible cultural heritage gourd carvings scattered throughout.

The stage performances are equally spectacular. African drum and dance, Middle Eastern drum and belly dance, French chanson, and freestyle football are presented in rotation. The French Summer Music Festival makes a grand appearance, adding a touch of exotic romance to summer evenings. Later, Latin bands, samba, Cuban orchestras, and Argentine tango take over, with DJ sets, Salsa parties, and Zumba interactions further igniting the atmosphere.

A rich sports lifestyle ecosystem boosts consumer vitality

Leveraging the momentum of the World Cup Fans Festival, The Place's sports lifestyle business matrix has undergone a new round of upgrades. The new Anta store has opened first, featuring a Champion Series zone and a children's zone, catering to both adult professional sports and kids' sports equipment needs. On July 3, the globally renowned comprehensive sports brand Decathlon will move in, offering one-stop sports solutions for all levels, from entry-level gear to professional equipment, for nearby residents. The addition of these two major sports brands complements existing in-mall brands, forming a sports lifestyle matrix that covers multiple needs including sports training, professional children's wear, and trendy equipment.

In terms of fitness facilities, existing tenants such as Supermonkey, Centi Me, and XM Pilates cover diverse formats including group classes, personal training, and boutique Pilates, extending sports consumption from "buying gear" to "getting active," meeting the needs of everyone from beginners to seasoned fitness enthusiasts.

A manager from The Place stated that the World Cup is a topic that transcends generations and a natural bond that brings families together. This fans festival uses FIFA official resources as a connecting point, bringing the collective memories and passionate atmosphere of the tournament into the commercial space. It aims to promote the integrated development of "culture, tourism, commerce, sports, and exhibitions," while allowing children to have fun in interactive installations, young people to meet like-minded friends at markets and parties, and the elderly to relive fond memories through the familiar passion of football.

2026 World Cup Fans Festival & The Place FIFA Pop-up Event

Address: 100 Zunyi Road  

Dates: The Fans Festival runs until July 5; the FIFA STORE pop-up runs until July 26; the Fan Market runs until July 5, open every Friday to Sunday from 14:00 to 22:00.