At 4 am, Yang Fan opens his breakfast shop in Wuhan in Central China's Hubei province. The first thing he does is pull out an 85-inch television to broadcast World Cup matches.
Rain cannot keep customers away. Some stand under umbrellas, while others crowd shoulder-to-shoulder around the screen. The narrow street outside the small noodle shop turns into an impromptu World Cup viewing spot.
"I'm a soccer fan and once played in grassroots tournaments," says 39-year-old Yang. "Many of this year's World Cup matches fall in the morning due to time differences. That inspired me to combine soccer viewing with Wuhan's breakfast culture."
His idea has paid off. Since the tournament kicked off, Yang's shop has sold an extra 100 to 200 bowls of Wuhan's signature hot dry noodles every day.
For years, major international soccer tournaments have followed a familiar rhythm in China: late-night matches paired with beer, barbecue and snacks.
This summer, the schedule has rewritten this long-standing ritual. Hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, the 2026 World Cup features most of its matches during the early hours, dawn and morning in China. The shift has turned local breakfast shops into popular viewing venues. Cinemas, cafes and many other businesses are also capitalizing on soccer fever to boost consumer spending.
Cinema screens
Chinese catering businesses have been the quickest to adapt to the new match schedule.
Data from lifestyle platform Meituan shows that searches for morning tea restaurants in Guangdong province surged 8.5 times between June 11 and July 1 compared with the same period last year.
In Foshan, a Guangdong city famous for Cantonese cuisine, a local hotel has launched soccer-themed set menus named "Brace" and "Hat Trick", alongside soccer ball-shaped egg tarts. Sales have jumped around 30 percent compared with the same period last year, according to manager Wu Fenhong.
Coffee chains, busiest in the morning, have also joined the World Cup consumption boom.
Luckin Coffee, the official sponsor of Portugal's and Spain's national soccer teams in China, has rolled out World Cup-themed drinks and collectibles including refrigerator magnets, keychains and figurines. Cotti Coffee, a global sponsor of Argentina's national team, has launched officially licensed World Cup souvenirs, such as commemorative match tickets and jersey-themed magnets.
The soccer fever has also brought new audiences to cinemas, which are facing a sluggish box office.
With large screens, surround sound and reclining seats, cinemas offer an immersive viewing experience unavailable at home. Morning and late-night matches have also filled traditionally off-peak cinema slots. China Film Group Corporation and Huaxia Film Distribution have organized over 28,000 World Cup screenings across 255 cities nationwide.
A cinema in Beijing's Daxing district has rolled out exclusive perks for ticket holders watching the World Cup, including a voucher for any regular movie screening, free popcorn and a soft drink.
Nearly all seats were filled for a Sunday morning screening of the match between Argentina and Switzerland. Spectators, many wearing team jerseys, cheered enthusiastically throughout the game.
The World Cup boom comes as China ramps up efforts to expand domestic consumption. A recently approved government plan for expanding consumption during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period aims to raise the household consumption-to-GDP ratio significantly and sustain steady growth in overall consumption of goods and services.
Sports are expected to play a bigger role in the effort. In September 2025, the State Council issued guidelines to further stimulate sports consumption, targeting an industry value exceeding 7 trillion yuan ($1 trillion) by 2030, nearly double its 2023 size. The outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan also highlights the development of the sports event economy.
Factories join the game
The World Cup-driven boom extends far beyond consumer services. Factories and wholesale markets in East China rolled out jerseys, toys, cups and souvenirs for overseas buyers.
At the Yiwu International Trade Market, a global hub for small commodities, veteran exporter Wen Congjian sorts stacks of fan jerseys, with two to four exclusive designs for each 2026 World Cup team.
Wen started preparing for the tournament well in advance. Leveraging his solid market reputation and patent reserves from previous tournaments, he secured official clothing orders for top teams including Brazil and Argentina, with licensed product orders alone exceeding 10,000 pieces.
The World Cup is no longer just a tournament on the pitch. It has become a catalyst connecting sports, consumption and industries, says Zhang Desheng, a professor at Wuhan Sports University.
"Beyond traditional soccer fans, it attracts broader groups through food, fashion and social experiences, creating new opportunities for economic growth," Zhang adds.
XINHUA
