Sports Direct partners with Zapp for World Cup 2026 merch ahead of the tournament

The retail giant has partnered with Zapp to offer those in the City access to branded merchandise in as little as 20 minutes.

Sports Direct said the partnership reflects a shared ambition to make major sporting moments more accessible.

It comes as Zapp is expecting the England fixtures to be the busiest events of the year. It reported that demand is increasingly driven by last-minute purchases, with 78% of football-related orders placed within 90 minutes of kick-off.

A Sports Direct spokesperson commented: “The FIFA World Cup is one of the biggest moments in the global sporting calendar. 

“Through our partnership with Zapp, we’re extending access to our FIFA World Cup 2026 range across London, combining Sports Direct’s industry-leading football offering with Zapp’s on-demand delivery capabilities. 

“The partnership reflects our continued focus on meeting customer demand and providing fans with greater accessibility to official merchandise throughout the competition.”

Zapp commercial director Rowan Lawson added: “Football creates some of the most spontaneous and iconic shopping moments of the year. You decide to invite some friends over and want to get an England shirt before kick-off to host in style.

“Traditionally, that’s meant a rush to the shops – but through our partnership with Sports Direct, fans can now get FIFA World Cup merchandise, delivered in minutes, 24/7.

“We expect thousands of London customers to order during matches throughout the tournament, and we’ve already seen football-related searches on Zapp rise over 300% since the teams landed in the US.”