A BBC Sport investigation has revealed that garment workers in Cambodia producing official replica football shirts for major European clubs receive a basic wage of less than £1 an hour. The findings trace manufacturing for clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Celtic, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Benfica to two factories situated near the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, exposing a staggering gap between soaring retail prices in Europe and production-line pay in Southeast Asia.
With adult replica shirts now commanding retail prices of £80 to £85—and authentic "pro-fit" match editions regularly topping £120—the investigation shows that the price tag of a single shirt sold in a club superstore exceeds more than two weeks of basic pay for the workers who stitch it.
Inside the Phnom Penh Manufacturing Hubs
The investigation focused on Bowker Garment Factory and Trax Apparel, two major manufacturing facilities located approximately 16 kilometres apart on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. Bowker employs roughly 3,400 workers, predominantly women, while Trax Apparel employs around 3,200 staff. Both facilities act as key manufacturing suppliers for German sportswear giant Adidas, which holds high-profile, multi-million-pound kit supply partnerships with several of Europe's most prominent football clubs.
Five payslips reviewed during the investigation showed base monthly earnings ranging between $210 and $220 (£158 to £166). With standard shifts spanning eight hours a day over a mandatory six-day working week, workers calculate their standard hourly rate at roughly $1.01 to $1.06—comfortably below £1 an hour at current exchange rates. Even when factoring in voluntary overtime, attendance bonuses, and travel stipends, total monthly earnings documented on payslips hovered near $300 (£226).
Employees interviewed at the sites described struggling to cover basic food, clean drinking water, and housing costs while facing daily production targets ranging from 300 to 700 shirts per line. Trax Apparel defended its wage structure, telling investigators that its workers’ average monthly earnings this year fell between $305 and $342. Bowker Garment Factory did not respond to requests for comment.
High Temperatures and Safety Hazards Reported
Beyond baseline wages, workers raised serious concerns over physical conditions inside the facilities. Photographic evidence obtained from Bowker showed internal factory floor temperatures reaching 35.2°C at 57.6% relative humidity, alongside complaints of insufficient ventilation in high-density sewing bays. Multiple workers reported experiencing verbal pressure from floor supervisors when production quotas stalled.
Infrastructure risks were also cited: one worker detailed receiving electric shocks on two separate occasions due to unshielded wiring on sewing machinery. In response, Adidas stated that neither factory is directly owned by the brand, though both must adhere to its workplace code of conduct. The brand maintained that temperature-mitigation protocols and health and safety requirements are enforced across its partner network, adding that internal reviews found no evidence of systemic verbal harassment.
The Commercial Reality Behind Football’s Kit Economy
The findings spotlight the uncomfortable economics supporting modern football’s record-breaking commercial revenues. Kit supply contracts represent one of the most lucrative revenue streams for elite clubs: technical suppliers commit tens of millions of pounds each season to secure exclusive manufacturing and retail rights, driving clubs to release up to four separate outfield kits annually.
While Matchwise’s AI-driven match analysis tracks how commercial windfalls fund squad reinvestment and tactical depth across European leagues, the supply chain financing that growth is facing unprecedented scrutiny from supporter groups and labour monitors. With fans already voicing frustration over annual price hikes for basic polyester jerseys, evidence of sub-£1 hourly wages at the source makes the sport's high-margin retail model increasingly difficult for clubs and manufacturers to defend.
Which football clubs are linked to the Cambodian factories?
BBC Sport identified kit production at the Bowker and Trax facilities for several major European clubs, including Arsenal, Real Madrid, Celtic, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Benfica.
How does Cambodian factory pay compare to football shirt prices?
Workers earn a base wage between $210 and $220 (£158 to £166) per month for six-day work weeks, which equals less than £1 per hour. Standard adult replica shirts for these clubs retail at between £80 and £85, meaning one shirt costs more than two weeks of a worker's basic wage.