Sad but true, the seven-decade partnership between Adidas and Germany is about to end. This is another blow for the faltering brand, as it will terminate one of the longest-running kit collaborations in sports.

On Thursday, Germany announced that beginning in 2027, they would be switching from their brand to Nike. The DFB-Team will don an alternate jersey for the first time since 1950 when they did not have the iconic three-striped Adidas badge. Established a year earlier in the town of Herzogenaurach, close to Nuremberg, the firm has since expanded.

“We look forward to working with Nike and thank them for the trust they have placed in us. The future partnership will enable the DFB to continue to fulfill key tasks in the coming decade with a view to the comprehensive development of football in Germany”, said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf.

“But one thing is also clear: until December 2026, we will be fully committed to the joint success of our longstanding and current partner Adidas, to whom German football has owed a great deal for more than seven decades.”

Bad reactions in Germany

German media have been buzzing over the unveiling of the Euro 2024 uniform, which includes an unprecedented pink away shirt. This week, the business stated that the jersey was a huge hit. However, they declined to provide any specific sales figures.

Interestingly, until Thursday, Adidas had no idea of the Nike Germany transaction, according to Adidas. “We were informed by the DFB today that the association will have a new supplier from 2027”, remarked an Adidas representative.

The German national soccer team wore Adidas uniforms to four consecutive World Cup victories: 1954, 1974, 1990, and 2014. Robert Habeck, the cabinet minister for the economy, expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to hand over control of the brand to an American firm.

He said: “I can hardly imagine the German jersey without the three stripes. Adidas and black, red and gold have always belonged together for me. A piece of German identity. I would have liked a bit more local patriotism”.

How much will Nike pay Germany?

After receiving the strongest financial bid, the DFB announced on Thursday that Nike will supply all national teams from 2027 to 2034.

“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,” the DFB posted on X.

“Nike made by far the best economic offer and also impressed with its substantive vision, which includes a clear commitment to the promotion of amateur and grassroots sports as well as the sustainable development of women’s soccer in Germany,” Holger Blask, chief executive of DFB, said in a statement.

How much the agreement was worth is something the DFB has been mum about. But the German business weekly Handelsblatt claims that Nike is reportedly offering a proposal in the three-digit area. Their annual estimate is about 100 million euros.

According to Footy Headlines, Adidas, on the other hand, pays the DFB around 50 million euros annually.

PHOTOS: IMAGO