NEWS · 08 Oct 2026
£1-a‑hour wages in football shirt factories, BBC investigation finds
A BBC Sport investigation has uncovered that factories in Cambodia producing official football shirts pay workers less than £1 an hour. The findings raise questions about the supply chain for clubs and governing bodies. The report calls for scrutiny and potential reforms.
The BBC Sport investigation has traced the production of official football shirts to factories in Cambodia, where workers earn less than £1 an hour.
These shirts are supplied to clubs and national teams for use in domestic leagues and international competitions, making the manufacturing chain a key part of the sport’s commercial ecosystem.
The revelation that wages fall below £1 an hour highlights a stark disparity between the high prices paid by clubs and the meagre pay received by the workers who make the kits.
The findings have prompted calls for greater oversight of the supply chain and for governing bodies to review their sourcing policies to ensure fairer treatment of factory staff.
Further investigations are likely to follow, and clubs may face pressure to adopt transparent procurement practices that safeguard workers’ rights and uphold the integrity of the sport.