The reported haul was valued at more than £18 million, with counterfeit national-team shirts among the products removed from warehouses and street markets. The scale underlines how major tournaments create a lucrative window for criminal sellers, as fans search for affordable ways to show their support.
A separate operation in Edinburgh reportedly uncovered 58,000 fake World Cup shirts, while another seizure in Birmingham included replicas associated with France’s Mbappé and Norway’s Haaland.
For clubs, federations and players, counterfeit merchandise means lost commercial income. For supporters, however, the risks may go beyond buying an unauthorised design.
Tests carried out by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service reportedly found that a fake shirt melted almost immediately when exposed to a flame. The original garment required a more sustained test before showing a similar reaction.
That distinction has prompted a safety warning over materials that may not meet normal manufacturing standards. The update also raises concerns about chemicals and dyes used in production, with children potentially more vulnerable if harmful substances come into contact with their skin.
Investigators say buyers may not know where their money ends up, particularly when counterfeit networks target football’s biggest events and the Premier League market.
The attraction is obvious: unofficial shirts are often dramatically cheaper than official products. But the low price can conceal uncertain quality, unsafe materials and criminal supply chains.
The next major tournament and the next Premier League season will likely bring another surge in demand for national-team and player merchandise. For supporters, checking the seller and choosing reputable retailers could become just as important as choosing the shirt itself.