Two Labubu characters wearing football jerseys appear at the opening ceremony of 2026 FIFA World Cup as a special guest in Mexico City, on June 11, 2026.

Pop Mart's popular character Labubu made a surprise appearance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico City on Thursday, becoming one of the event's special guests and stepping onto the global sports stage with other Chinese elements in spite of the absence of the Chinese football team, according to videos released by CCTV News.

Two performers dressed in fluffy, toothy Labubu mascot costumes wearing football jerseys appeared at the ceremony, drawing applause from the audience, videos posted by football fans showed.

Some media reports placed Labubu's performance as one of the most impressive moments of this year's FIFA World Cup opening.

Footage of the appearance quickly went viral on Chinese social media, topping the trending searches on Sina Weibo with the hashtag "Labubu made it to the World Cup."

According to the Xinhua News Agency, this is the first time a Chinese original trendy toy IP has been officially invited to the FIFA World Cup.

Although the Chinese men's national team failed to qualify for the tournament, Chinese referee Ma Ning will make history as the first Chinese main referee at a World Cup. Combined with Labubu's appearance, many Chinese netizens jokingly referred to them as the "Chinese starting lineup" for this World Cup.

Some commented, "The Chinese team didn't make it, but the Chinese referee and Chinese IP showed up first."

The IP collaboration highlighted the growing global cultural influence of Chinese trendy brands and their successful expansion into major international sporting events, Chinese analysts said.

Labubu had already entered the football zeitgeist earlier. On May 21, a giant version of the character appeared in the official FIFA Sound music video for the song "Goals."

With the World Cup returning to North America for the first time since 1994, Pop Mart unveiled its latest collaboration - THE MONSTERS x FIFA Series - transforming the iconic Labubu character into a blue football hero, the New York Post reported.

Labubu was just one representative of Chinese elements that lustered the World Cup. "Chinese smart manufacturing" is no longer just visible on advertising boards - it has become deeply embedded in every corner of the tournament.

For example, the official match ball of the 2026 World Cup, TRIONDA, was produced in a factory in South China's Guangdong Province which supplies Adidas, according to Guangzhou Daily.

This ball features the fewest panels in World Cup history (only 4 pieces) and incorporates advanced Chinese technologies, including automated coating, precision cutting, and seamless bonding. Made with sustainable materials such as bio-based polyester and recycled fabrics, it represents a significant upgrade in both performance and environmental standards, China News Service reported.

When controversial calls arise during matches, Chinese technology is also playing a key role. A Chinese company, Dingqi Sports Goods (Huai'an) Co Ltd, developed a smart ball bladder embedded with a high-precision chip. The chip is able to record up to 500 touches per second, providing accurate data on ball movement to support video assistant referees (VAR), a manager of the company revealed. Combined with the new "connected ball" technology, the TRIONDA football helps referees make more accurate decisions on handballs, offside, and other incidents.

In addition, Chinese tech giant Lenovo has integrated a comprehensive AI system into the tournament. This includes an AI-powered 3D digital avatar system for VAR, which visualizes decisions clearly for referees and fans, significantly improving fairness and transparency, according to a corporate release sent to the Global Times.

For broadcasting, Chinese company Hisense supplied advanced color control LCD screens to the FIFA World Cup International Broadcast Centre, delivering sharper images and more accurate colors for fast-moving gameplay, the company told the Global Times.

Even fans can benefit from Chinese technology. In Mexico City, all 26 new trains on Light Rail Line 1 were manufactured by CRRC Cor, a Chinese rolling stock manufacturer. Since the deployment of China-made trains, daily passenger capacity more than doubled to 250,000. The trains were specially wrapped with World Cup football-themed designs during the tournament, media reported.

From smart footballs and AI referees to high-definition displays and efficient public transport, "Chinese smart manufacturing" is leaving a strong and indispensable mark on the global football event - marking China's evolution from a product supplier to a technology provider on the global stage, Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.