Adidas Makes Major Investment in Jiangsu Super League as Soccer Fever Builds

Adidas AG kicked off 2026 with a significant strategic move. On January 27, Adidas announced a partnership with the 2026 Jiangsu Provincial City Football League, becoming its official strategic partner. Adidas will not only supply competition kits for all 13 participating teams but will also have its Shanghai Creative Center design exclusive jerseys for each club, highlighting its investment in localized design. Rumors suggest this sponsorship includes approximately 8 million yuan in direct financial support, plus 1 million yuan worth of apparel and equipment per team, with the total investment estimated to exceed 20 million yuan—far surpassing the typical sponsorship scale for a provincial amateur league. Behind this substantial investment lies the fact that the "Jiangsu Super League" has become a phenomenal event in China's mass football scene. The 2025 season saw cumulative live attendance surpass 2.43 million spectators, with an average match attendance of 28,000, setting a new record for provincial leagues; online live streams attracted over 2.2 billion views, while related topic views on social platforms exceeded 100 billion. Commercially, the "Jiangsu Super League" has also demonstrated remarkable performance. The number of sponsors for the 2025 season rapidly grew from an initial 6 to 29, with official sponsorship slots priced at 3 million yuan still being highly sought-after. The atmosphere for 2026 as a "major soccer year" is already building. Recently, the Chinese U23 national team historically clinched the Asian Cup runner-up position, significantly boosting public interest in the sport. However, sponsorship rights for the national team and top-tier events like the Chinese Super League have long been dominated by Nike. If Adidas aims to enhance its presence in the local football market, choosing to focus on youth training and community football represents a pragmatic pathway. In recent years, Adidas has consistently supported initiatives such as the China High School Football League (CHFL), the Rising Stars Champions Cup, collaborated with the Shanghai Football Association, and partnered with the China Football Development Foundation to launch the "Adidas Supports Chinese Youth Football Development Program." Furthermore, football culture is increasingly merging with streetwear trends, presenting new opportunities for brands. Adidas's recent collaboration with streetwear label BAPE® on a co-branded football collection is clear evidence of its effort to fuse football culture with contemporary fashion. Currently, Adidas's business in China has entered a phase of steady recovery, achieving "quality growth" for ten consecutive quarters. In the third quarter of 2025, revenue in Greater China increased by 10% year-over-year, demonstrating the gradual effectiveness of its localization strategy. This high-profile sponsorship of the Jiangsu Super League undoubtedly represents another crucial step in its ongoing commitment to the Chinese market.