The German national football team has ended its long-standing partnership with Adidas in favour of Nike to become its new kit manufacturer.
Nike and the German Football Association (DFB) have agreed an eight-year deal that commences in 2027 and ends in 2034, supplying the men’s and women’s national teams with Nike-manufactured first team kits, as well as other apparel and equipment.
The decision to switch from Adidas to Nike has come as a shock to many football fans across the country, as it ends the German football team’s partnership with the German sportswear company that started in 1954.
It appears that Adidas knew of the DFB’s decision as the world did, stating: “We were informed by the DFB today (21 March) that the association will have a new supplier from 2027.”
Adidas will remain as the kit manufacturer for the four-time World Cup winners until December 2026, which will cover EURO 2024 – hosted by Germany – and the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada.
The sportswear brand – created by Adolf ‘Adi’ Dassler – began manufacturing football kits for the German national team ahead of the 1954 FIFA World Cup and has done so ever since.
Adidas and German football were synonymous with one another, fostering a seemingly unbreakable partnership which has led to many Germans criticising the DFB’s decision to strike a deal with the US sportswear firm Nike.
German Vice-Chancellor, Robert Habeck, was a notable critic of the Nike decision, as he said: “I can hardly imagine the German jersey without the three stripes.
“For me, Adidas and black-red-gold always belonged together. A piece of German identity. I would have liked a bit more local patriotism.”
Despite public backlash, the DFB has defended its decision to drop Adidas as Nike made the better financial offer which would help the federation fund the future of German football as it would be invested into the grassroots game.
The DFB stated: “We understand every emotion. It’s also a drastic event for us as an association when it becomes clear that a partnership that was and is characterised by many special moments is coming to an end after more than 70 years. That doesn’t leave us cold.
“The DFB has to make economic decisions against this background. Nike made by far the best financial offer in the transparent and non-discriminatory tender process.”
Furthermore, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf affirmed that the federation will “do everything we can to achieve shared success with our long-standing and current partner Adidas, to whom German soccer has owed a lot for more than seven decades”.
