Adidas Reclaims Brazilian Olympic Sponsorship in Major Brand Realignment

The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) confirmed on May 14, 2025, that Adidas will replace Peak and Riachuelo as Team Brazil’s official apparel supplier starting in 2026.

The 10-year agreement, finalized during Adidas’ Brand Day event, covers nine Olympic missions through the 2028 Los Angeles Games, including the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Adidas will design ceremonial outfits, podium wear, training gear, and village attire while producing licensed merchandise for public sale. This marks Adidas’ return to dressing Brazilian Olympians after a 41-year hiatus since the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games.

The COB terminated partnerships with Chinese sportswear firm Peak and Brazilian retailer Riachuelo following lackluster reception of their Paris 2024 uniforms.

Riachuelo’s designs, criticized as overly casual and culturally generic, featured denim jackets priced at $120 (R$599) and Havaianas flip-flops. Public backlash intensified when athletes like gymnast Rebeca Andrade and surfer Gabriel Medina publicly endorsed Adidas’ technical wear.

They wore the brand during their training sessions. Adidas’ existing contracts with 12 Brazilian Olympians, including Andrade and Paralympic swimmer Gabriel Araújo, eased negotiations.

Financial terms remain undisclosed, but industry analysts estimate the deal’s annual value near $35 million-triple Peak’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics contract.

The move aligns with Adidas’ broader strategy to counter rival Nike, which recently secured Germany’s national teams through 2034 for $105 million annually.

Adidas Targets Brazil’s Olympic Market

Adidas lost the German football federation sponsorship in 2024 after 70 years but retaliated by targeting Brazil’s lucrative market. Nike retains control of Brazil’s football teams until 2038 under a $100 million-per-year deal but avoided Olympic bidding amid scrutiny over royalty disputes.

COB President Marco La Porta emphasized “global brand alignment” as critical for athlete performance and merchandising revenue. Adidas will debut its Olympic collection at the Milano Cortina Winter Games.

The brand will leverage Brazil’s 300+ medal contenders to showcase moisture-wicking fabrics and modular designs. The partnership grants Adidas exclusive rights to use Olympic branding in South American retail markets until 2036.

This strengthens its foothold against Puma and Under Armour. Production begins immediately at Adidas’ São Paulo facility, which will output 45,000 custom units annually.

This sponsorship shift underscores intensifying competition in sportswear’s $380 billion global market, where regional loyalty increasingly yields to technical innovation and financial muscle.

For Brazil, the deal offers a reputational reset after Paris’ fashion missteps-and a chance to reclaim its Olympic aesthetic legacy.