The quadrennial European football gala, UEFA Euro 2016, has delighted sport merchandise traders as football fans continue to splurge on products of their favourite teams.

According to the traders, turnover from sales of merchandise such as jerseys, backpacks, shoes, slippers, flags, footballs and souvenirs has increased by 15 percent in recent weeks.

“Customer inflow can be expected to rise further as the competition gains momentum after the group stages,” said Kishor Kumar Joshi, owner of Sports Universe in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu. “We have run a 15 percent discount scheme to boost sales by 30 percent this football season.”

According to Joshi, most of the sales are coming from jerseys of Germany, France, England and Spain. Customers can find jerseys of different quality grades with prices ranging from Rs950 to Rs1300.

Apart from the usual football frenzy, this year’s Euro cup has kicked off just at the right time as SLC candidates and high school students on a vacation.

“Teams play their matches in France while we play futsal out here wearing jerseys of different countries,” said Suraj Adhikari, a student who was purchasing a kit in Tripureshwor. “We are also planning to play a tournament under the Euro theme.”

The Euro 2016, second fiddle only to the World Cup, is a major market driver of sports merchandise after usual football leagues and world tournaments.

 “We are receiving orders for flags from hotels, pubs and futsal grounds around the Valley,” said Ravi Gurung, owner of Sports Centre at the United World Trade Center in the Capital. “Although the customer flow is less compared to the World Cup, we are keeping up with its sales expectations,” he said.

According to Gurung, flags and jerseys have contributed the most in generating sales. Jerseys are priced at Rs1300 in the store.

“The market for sports kit during the Euro Cup has seen a modest growth,” said BK Sapkota, owner of Bhadrakali Sports Center in Kathmandu. “We have sold 500-600 jerseys and a few other merchandise since the tournament kicked off. Currently, the sales are dominated by jerseys of France, Germany and England.”

Stores ranging from umbrella shops to specialised sport stores have put up jerseys of major teams on display as the football frenzy takes its toll on Valley denizens.