Nike will take over as the German National Football Team’s sponsor, replacing Adidas. This ends a long-standing partnership between the team and Adidas, and it is a new setback for the struggling brand.
After signing a seven-year contract with Nike, the DFB German Football Association announced Thursday afternoon that Nike will be the main supplier of kits for all national teams starting in 2027.
Adidas was founded in Herzogenaurach, near Nuremberg, a year earlier. It is the first time that the German national team has not worn the three-striped Adidas logo since 1950.
Robert Habeck, German Economy Minister, told the local Dpa news agency that he could “hardly imagine the German uniform without the three stripes” and called it “a part of German identity”.
The DFB announced on Thursday that Nike made “by far the best financial offer”. They also pledged to support amateur and grassroots sports, as well as German women’s soccer.
John Donahoe, Nike’s chief executive, said that he was in Germany earlier this week for the pitch. John Donahoe, Nike’s chief executive officer, said on Thursday that the company has put emphasis on both men’s and women’s national teams as well as the goal of “making the German team into a global brand and their athletes into global heroes”. . . “When Nike puts out its best, nobody can beat us.”
The DFB didn’t disclose the financial details of the deal. The association said that the tender was “transparent” and “non-discriminatory” adding that they were “grateful”, that their future would be “financially secure” because of Nike’s support.
Bernd Neuendorf, DFB President, said “German Football owes [Adidas] a great amount for over seven decades of cooperation.”
Bjorn Gulden , the CEO of Adidas who is obsessed with sports, has suffered a major blow by losing sponsorship for its own national football team. Former professional footballer, Gulden has pledged to capitalize on Adidas’ rich historical heritage to lead the company out of its most severe financial crisis in 30 years.
Adidas stated in a press release that they “were informed today by the DFB that the federation would have a new provider from 2027”.
The DFB decision won’t have an immediate financial impact on Adidas, as its contract covers the Euro 2024 tournament, which will be held in Germany this year, as well as 2026’s World Cup, to be held in the United States of America, Canada, and Mexico.
Adidas has made headlines this month in Germany with the unveiling of the German national team’s kit, which includes a pink away shirt that is unlike any other. The company announced this week that it was already a best seller, but refused to provide specific numbers.