Manchester United, Adidas extend official partnership in $1b deal

Manchester United will continue wearing Adidas gear for the foreseeable future, with the club and sportswear giants extending their partnership for a further 10 years in a deal worth over $1 billion.

“The relationship between Manchester United and adidas is one of the most iconic in world sport, forged through a shared commitment to style, flair and, most importantly, high performance,” Manchester United chief executive Richard Arnold said in a statement Monday morning.

“With its roots in the 1980s, our partnership has been reinvented over the past decade with some of the most innovative designs and technology in sportswear. We are now looking forward to refreshing this powerful partnership again through the remainder of this decade and into the 2030s.”

Adidas chief executive Bjorn Gulden added his excitement with the continued partnership, promising to “combine tradition and innovation to please both the players and the fans.”

Adidas has been Manchester United’s kit provider since the 2015/16 season, producing some memorable and unique kits as well as several throwback and classic kits. For both fashion and performance it’s clear from the record deal that United and Adidas are happy since their reunion.

The club statement on Monday also mentioned that the new deal will see increased “focus” on Manchester United’s women’s team. Details as to what exactly that means are unclear, but working on specific lines makes sense given the team’s rising popularity and recent success in breaking into the UEFA Women’s Champions League.