Economy10:37 · 10h ago

Adidas Overtakes Nike as Top Fashion and Footwear Brand in Israel After Three Years

Globes

Translated & summarized from Globes by baba

Key points

01Adidas tops Israel's fashion and footwear category in 2026, surpassing Nike after three years.
02Adidas's World Cup sponsorship and $70 million campaign boosted its global and local profile.
03Adidas operates 65 stores in Israel through three channels and sponsors Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
04Nike runs 30 Israeli stores via Retailors, which plans expansion in Germany by 2028.
05Israeli brand Naot ranks third, with 50 stores and exports to five countries including the U.S.
06H&M and Castro hold fourth and fifth places, with Castro experiencing a recent sales decline.

In this story

People

Asaf Ben Dov, Tal Tzoref, Yair Bel, Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Timothée Chalamet, Steve Lax

OrganizationsAdidas, Nike, Retailors, Fox Group, Electra, Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Match Retail

PlacesIsrael, Germany, United States, Dizengoff Center

The story · English

After three consecutive years of Nike leading Israel's fashion and footwear category, German sports brand Adidas has reclaimed the top spot in the 2026 brand rankings. The competition between Adidas and Nike spans fashion, footwear, sports equipment, and sponsorships of major sports teams and events, including the recent battle over supplying balls for the UEFA Champions League. Adidas ranked first in fashion and footwear, placing 31st overall, while Nike came second in the category and 37th overall.

Adidas's resurgence was bolstered by its role as the official sponsor of the German national team during the latest World Cup, ending a partnership spanning over 70 years with the German Football Association. The brand's World Cup campaign featured stars like Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, and Timothée Chalamet, with an advertising budget close to $70 million. In Israel, Adidas operates about 65 stores through three channels: Adidas Israel (14 stores including a flagship in Dizengoff Center and online sales), Electra (40 stores, recently appointing Tal Tzoref as CEO), and 10 franchised outlets. Adidas products are also sold in over 550 points of sale, including Foot Locker and Mega Sport. The brand sponsors local sports teams Maccabi Haifa (football) and Maccabi Tel Aviv (basketball).

Nike runs 30 stores in Israel through the retailer Retailors, part of the Fox Group, which also operates around 180 Nike stores worldwide. Retailors plans to open 15-30 Nike stores in Germany by the end of 2028, investing 15-30 million euros. Nike has forecasted a low single-digit revenue decline in Q2 2026 and is implementing measures to support growth, including expanding existing operations and entering new markets.

The third place in fashion and footwear went to the Israeli shoe brand Naot (formerly Teva Naot), which operates 50 stores domestically and exports to five countries, with the U.S. as its largest market. Naot appointed Asaf Ben Dov as CEO in November 2025. Swedish brand H&M ranked fourth with 23 stores in Israel, operated by Match Retail, and recently launched a new app and online platform including premium brands COS and & Other Stories. Castro, a veteran Israeli fashion brand with 76 stores and an online presence, ranked fifth despite a sales decline from 136 million shekels in Q1 2025 to 125 million shekels in Q1 2026. Fox dropped from fifth to seventh place, while Delta ranked sixth. The top ten also included Israeli brands Golf, Tamnun, and Renuar.

This ranking reflects the dynamic competition in Israel's fashion and footwear market, highlighting Adidas's strong comeback and the ongoing rivalry with Nike, alongside the prominence of local brands.

Read the original at Globes