China's sports industry has now surpassed RMB 5 trillion in total value. When sports meet intellectual property (IP), the results are transformative: advanced equipment helps athletes push their physical limits, cutting-edge broadcast technologies capture every thrilling moment, and officially licensed merchandise fuels global fan enthusiasm. As World IP Day 2026 approaches, we turn to the world of sports to explore how Chinese companies — ready, set, innovate — are accelerating onto the global stage.
Brands competing on the global stage
From international event sponsorship to top-level athlete signing, from design innovation to cultural storytelling, an increasing number of Chinese sports brands are breaking into global markets, earning the trust of consumers worldwide.
Chinese sports brand Li-Ning is steadily advancing toward its vision of becoming a world-class professional and fashionable sports brand originated in China and recognized by the world. "We adhere to a core strategy of 'Single Brand, Multi-categories, Diversified Channels,' building comprehensive brand coverage across our core product lines. On the foundation of the Li-Ning brand, we continue to strengthen the trademark portfolio and protection for proprietary technologies and co-branded collaborations, further enhancing product recognition and global competitiveness. Meanwhile, we have established a global trademark portfolio across key and emerging markets, including Europe, the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Southeast Asia. We also conduct ongoing monitoring of bad-faith trademark registrations overseas, while implementing customs recordation in key markets to combat counterfeiting and protect brand rights and market order," said a representative from the IP team at Li-Ning (China) Sports Goods Co., Ltd. Looking ahead, the company aims to further strengthen its IP protection network across key regions and core product categories and leverage IP to drive innovation, reinforcing its global presence as a Chinese sports brand.
Digital power redefining the viewing experience
Real-time 360-degree replay technology precisely captures athletes' trajectories in mid-air, the AI-assisted commentary system generates professional match insights, and cloud broadcasting enables remote production and distribution of content. Since partnering with the International Olympic Committee in 2017, Alibaba Cloud has become the first global cloud provider to support multiple Olympic Games, transforming how audiences experience sports.
"From the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, Alibaba Cloud has demonstrated global leadership in technologies such as cloud infrastructure, large AI models, and cloud broadcasting. At the same time, we are helping the Olympic Games evolve toward greater intelligence, sustainability, and inclusiveness. To date, Alibaba Cloud has built a robust global IP portfolio around Olympic and sports technologies, with hundreds of patents worldwide," said Ke Xiaopeng, Patent Legal Director at Alibaba Group Holding Limited. According to Ke, IP is not just about protecting innovation — it's a bridge that enables industrial collaboration and broader access to technology. As reflected in this year's World IP Day theme — from the starting gun in sport to the starting line of technological innovation, Alibaba Cloud will continue to move in step with the global sports industry, using IP as a foundation and technological innovation as a driving force to deliver more exciting, smarter, and greener sports experiences worldwide.
IP merchandise connecting the "World's Supermarket"
With less than two months to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stores in Yiwu — known as the "World's Supermarket" — are already buzzing with activity. From plush mascots like "Little Goat Messi" to fan jerseys, officially licensed merchandise is flying off the shelves at Zhejiang Beilei Textile Co., Ltd. "Building on official licenses from national teams and clubs, we've developed a full portfolio of sports merchandise across multiple scenarios and consumer groups. We can design dozens of new products each week and bring them from concept to mass production in a very short time," said the company's manager Luo Tianle. The company strictly follows licensing rules while strengthening IP protection for its own original designs, creating a comprehensive international IP framework to ensure stable global operations.
Behind Yiwu's booming sports merchandise industry lies a strong IP protection system. "To further support Yiwu's sports merchandise businesses in market expansion, we continue to enhance the one-stop service platform based at the Yiwu IP protection service center. At this 'IP supermarket,' businesses can access 34 services, including fast-track preliminary examination for design patents and international trademark registrations under the Madrid System. At the same time, through public awareness campaigns and targeted enforcement actions, we are strengthening IP protection in the sports sector and accelerating the shift from 'Made in Yiwu' to creation and branding in Yiwu," said an official from the Yiwu IP Office.