The World Cup’s Biggest Match Is Nike Vs. Adidas

As World Cup matches take place across the United States, Nike and Adidas, the two largest sportswear companies in the world, are spending millions of dollars in a duel over the future of soccer in America.

The longtime corporate rivals see the tournament being played across 11 cities in the country as their biggest opportunity in over 30 years to raise the sport’s profile and sell more soccer merchandise to a valuable market.

Soccer has become one of the fastest-growing sports in America, driven by a surge in interest in Major League Soccer. More than 62 million people followed the sport in the United States, making it the fourth-largest soccer fan base in the world, according to a report from Nielsen, the analytics firm. And that was before televisions at bars and in homes tuned in to World Cup matches.

At least a dozen sportswear brands — including Puma, Umbro and Reebok — have vied for attention throughout the 39-day tournament, but none have done more than Nike and Adidas.

“It’s critical for us,” said Camilo Andrade, a global vice president and general manager of soccer for Nike. “This is an accelerator of growth.”

Chris Murphy, a senior vice president of brand marketing for Adidas, shared a similar sentiment about the event’s potential impact. “It’s hard to overstate this,” he said. “It’s massive.”