End of an era: after 70 Years Adidas is no more German national team supplier. Nike wins

It is the end of an era, a sign of German decadence, or of the triumph of the free market. After more than 70 years, German sporting goods giant Adidas is moving away from the German national team shirts In the future, the DFB will turn to U.S. giant Nike as its new supplier. But apparently the separation did not go as harmoniously as the association explained.

It was only on Monday that they found quick sales. Toni Kroos, back with the German national team, went to downtown Frankfurt and handed out some new national team shirts to passersby. The supplier Adidas recently launched two shirts designed especially for the upcoming European Championships: a white one and the much-discussed purple-pink one.

For another tournament, the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Adidas can think about the clothing of the German Football Federation’s (DFB) elite selection and all the other teams in the association, and that’s it.

On Thursday, the DFB announced that Nike will be the new supplier from 2027 to 2034. The U.S. company, a note said, will “equip all DFB national teams and promote German soccer in its entirety.” It is not known how much Nike will pay for the exclusive partnership. In any case, the change of supplier represents a turning point. Adidas, the company of the famous three stripes, has been dressing German national teams for more than 70 years. And the US company beat the Germans in Germany!

“We have a lot to thank Adidas for.” “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 perform key tasks over the next decade in view of the global development of soccer in Germany. But it is also clear: Until December 2026, we will do everything in our power to achieve shared success with our current and long-standing partner Adidas, to whom German soccer has owed so much for more than 70 years,” DFB President Bernd Neuendorf quoted in a communication.

The award to prospective supplier partner Nike was the result of a transparent and non-discriminatory tender process, said Dr. Holger Blask, managing director of DFB GmbH & Co. KG.  But in the end, things probably did not go as smoothly as the DFB’s statement implied. Because apparently Adidas was surprised by the end of the long-term partnership. “Our contract with the German Football Association lasts until the end of 2026. Today we were informed by the DFB that the federation will have a new supplier starting in 2027,” a company spokesman said in response to a question from WELT. In the end, the numbers offered probably made the difference.