Ahead of the first kick in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which begins next month in Russia, adidas has already won a powerful victory against its most daunting competitor. In a long tenured rivalry against Nike that dates back decades, one of their most intriguing battles within the confines of a larger fight is that of World Cup supremacy. And for the first time in a long while, adidas reigns as victor.
According to a new report from Reuters, adidas this year will outfit 12 of the 32 World Cup teams which amounts to two more than Nike’s ten. The German sportswear power will dress contending teams like Argentina, Germany, Belgium and Spain. Among Nike’s bunch are favorites including Brazil and Portugal, respectively.
Since the last World Cup in 2014, adidas has surged in the realm of soccer — both in sales and visibility. Adidas, of course, has always had a vast reach in soccer and World Cup especially. They’ve produced the World Cup match ball since 1970 and their deal to sponsor the event is in place until 2030.
Adidas reported soccer-related sales reaching $2.4 billion in 2014. That number rose substantially in 2016 when the brand reported $2.5 billion in sales. This year’s World Cup will certainly add to modern-day revenue growth.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup begins on June 14.
