Nike will be the national team’s supplier from 2027

Company founder Adi Dassler personally screwed on Fritz Walter’s cleats before the miracle in Bern, and later German world champions naturally celebrated their triumphs with the Adidas logo or the iconic three stripes on their jerseys. But now a turning point is imminent: after more than 70 years, the German Football Association (DFB) is turning away from its supplier for the first time – and switching to the US company Nike.

The DFB announced the surprising collaboration from 2027 on Thursday, and Nike will then equip all national teams for at least seven years. At the 2024 European Championships, the men’s team will set up its base camp in the “home ground” at Adidas’ headquarters in Herzogenaurach and play in the jerseys that have just been presented. The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico will be a farewell for the traditional company.

“We look forward to working with Nike and the trust they have placed in us. The future partnership will enable the DFB to continue to carry out key tasks in the coming decade with a view to the comprehensive development of football in Germany,” said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf. He assured: “Until December 2026, we will do everything in our power to achieve shared success with (…) Adidas,” and German football has “owed a lot to the company for more than seven decades.”

Losses at Adidas

The reason for the unexpected switch to Nike, which had repeatedly unsuccessfully competed for the DFB selection in recent years: According to the DFB, the Americans “made by far the best economic offer”. The Adidas competitor also impressed “with its substantive vision, which also includes a clear commitment to the promotion of amateur and popular sports as well as the sustainable development of women’s football in Germany.”

Nike, named after the Greek goddess of victory and initially popular in basketball with icons like Michael Jordan, has long since arrived in football. The world’s leading sporting goods supplier since 1989 has been equipping the record world champion Brazil since 1994, and its well-known trademark (“Swoosh”) is also emblazoned on the shirts of other major football nations such as France, England, the Netherlands and the former European champion Portugal. And in the future on the DFB jerseys.

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Most recently, Nike reported annual sales of the equivalent of 47.1 billion euros with a profit of 4.7 billion. Adidas had to accept a loss of 75 million euros on sales of 21.4 billion euros – and now that of the German national team.