With the FIFA World Cup 2026 in full swing right now, Adidas is everywhere — on the match balls, on the kits of some of the biggest national teams, and in the official branding around every stadium. Adidas has been FIFA’s official sportswear partner for decades. But who actually owns Adidas? The answer might surprise you — it’s not a family company anymore, and the person most associated with Adidas’s famous three stripes has been out of the picture for many years.
| Founded | 1949 (Adolf “Adi” Dassler) |
| Headquarters | Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany |
| CEO | Bjørn Gulden (since January 2023) |
| Largest Shareholder | Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (~7.6%) |
| Listed On | Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX) |
| Revenue (2024) | ~€23.7 billion |
| FIFA Role | Official Tier 1 FIFA Partner (sportswear, match balls) |
| Employees | ~59,000 worldwide |
Who Owns Adidas?
Adidas AG is a publicly traded German multinational corporation listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX). It was founded in 1949 by Adolf “Adi” Dassler in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria — the same small town where his brother Rudolf Dassler had founded rival brand Puma a year earlier (the two brothers had a famous falling out). The Dassler family sold their stake over the decades, and today Adidas has no single controlling owner. The largest shareholder as of 2025–2026 is Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL), the Belgian investment holding company of the Frère-Desmarais families, which holds approximately 7.6% of shares. BlackRock holds around 5–6%, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund (Norges Bank Investment Management) holds ~3.1%, and Vanguard Group holds ~3%. The CEO since January 2023 is Bjørn Gulden, a Norwegian executive who previously led Puma. Gulden has dramatically turned around Adidas after the Yeezy partnership with Kanye West imploded — stock has surged significantly under his leadership. Adidas’s contract was extended through 2030. For Puma’s ownership story (the other Dassler brother’s brand), see who owns Puma. Adidas’s official FIFA 2026 content is at adidas.com.
| Shareholder | Type | Approx. Stake |
|---|---|---|
| Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (GBL) | Belgian investment company | ~7.6% |
| BlackRock | US asset manager | ~5–6% |
| Norges Bank Investment Management | Norway sovereign wealth fund | ~3.1% |
| Vanguard Group | US asset manager | ~3% |
| Other institutions & public | Free float | ~80%+ |
Who is the CEO of Adidas?
Bjørn Gulden became Adidas CEO on January 1, 2023, and has his contract extended through 2030. Before Adidas, Gulden was CEO of Puma from 2013–2022, where he oversaw that brand’s dramatic revival. At Adidas, he inherited the fallout from the Yeezy crisis and has since stabilized the brand, rebuilt retailer relationships, and driven strong revenue growth. Under his watch, the FIFA World Cup 2026 activation has been one of Adidas’s biggest marketing moments.
What is Adidas’s Connection to FIFA World Cup 2026?
Adidas is a Tier 1 FIFA Partner — the highest level of FIFA sponsorship — with a relationship stretching back to 1970. For FIFA World Cup 2026, Adidas supplies the official match ball (the Fussballliebe Evolution series), sponsors numerous national teams’ kits, and has extensive rights around in-stadium branding and licensing. Competing with Nike (which doesn’t hold FIFA’s official ball contract but sponsors more individual teams), Adidas’s FIFA partnership is one of the most valuable in global sports.
Key Milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1949 | Adolf “Adi” Dassler founds Adidas in Herzogenaurach, Germany |
| 1970 | Adidas begins supplying official FIFA World Cup match balls — a tradition continuing to 2026 |
| 1995 | Adidas AG goes public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange |
| 2006 | Adidas acquires Reebok for $3.8 billion (later sold in 2021) |
| 2016 | Yeezy partnership with Kanye West launches — becomes brand’s bestselling line |
| October 2022 | Adidas terminates Yeezy deal after Kanye West’s antisemitic statements; massive inventory writedown |
| January 2023 | Bjørn Gulden becomes CEO; begins Adidas turnaround |
| 2025 | Gulden’s contract extended through 2030; stock reaches multi-year highs |
| June 2026 | Adidas supplies official match ball for FIFA World Cup 2026 (USA/Canada/Mexico) |
My Take on Adidas in 2026
The Bjørn Gulden era at Adidas has been remarkable to watch. He took over a company in genuine crisis — the Yeezy implosion left billions in inventory and a brand reputation that needed repair — and turned it around faster than most analysts expected. The FIFA World Cup 2026 couldn’t have come at a better time for Adidas. Every match ball you see on the pitch, every Argentina or Germany kit on the field — that’s Adidas. The three stripes are inescapable during a World Cup, and that global visibility is worth more than any ad campaign. The question now is whether Adidas can maintain momentum after the World Cup high. Gulden has earned the benefit of the doubt at this point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Adidas today?
Adidas is publicly traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange with no single controlling owner; Groupe Bruxelles Lambert (~7.6%), BlackRock (~5–6%), and Norway’s sovereign wealth fund (~3.1%) are the largest shareholders.
Is Adidas still owned by the Dassler family?
No, the Dassler family sold their stake decades ago; Adidas is now a dispersed public company with no family control.
Who is the current CEO of Adidas?
Bjørn Gulden has been CEO since January 2023 and previously led rival Puma from 2013–2022; his contract is extended through 2030.
What is Adidas’s role at FIFA World Cup 2026?
Adidas is a Tier 1 FIFA Partner supplying the official match ball (Fussballliebe Evolution), sponsoring national team kits, and holding extensive in-stadium branding rights.
How did Bjørn Gulden turn around Adidas after the Yeezy crisis?
Gulden stabilized the brand, rebuilt retailer relationships, and drove strong revenue growth after the 2022 Yeezy partnership implosion left Adidas with massive inventory writedowns.