World Cup 2018: Nigeria fans search for hard-to-find jerseys

World Today

Official gear for the 2018 World Cup is big business, and for Nigerian fans, hard to find.

But as CGTN’s Deji Badmus reports, many don’t mind if their jerseys are official or fake. They just want to support their team.

It’s been described as the World Cup’s most anticipated football kit. When Nike officially began selling the Super Eagles jerseys at its flagship London store, crowds stretched down the block.

It was a similar scene at in Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos. Each kit costs around 40,000 naira, or about $100. Despite the high price, however, the jersey is easy to see on the streets.

“I got this top from a friend, who helped me buy it by the roadside,” one football fan explained. “It’s cheaper that way, so I just had to pay him to help me get it.”

Those roadside shops are making a huge profit from counterfeit sales. Customers only need to pay a deeply discounted $8 per kit.

“I can’t afford to buy it for like $120 at the Nike store,” a customer said. “But at the roadside here, it’s a lot cheaper.”

The counterfeit trade is bad business for retailers like Nike. But for the fans, whether fake or authentic jersey, they will still be cheering for their beloved team.