Are jersey sales the clearest sign of Adidas momentum?

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Adidas momentum so far is shown most clearly by apparel growth, with jersey sales being one strong early signal rather than the single clearest one.

Early World Cup data point to Adidas gaining more momentum than Nike in apparel, with jersey sales singled out as a key driver. Adidas apparel spending rose 70% in May versus the prior year and stayed strong into June, and a research analyst linked this to “substantial growth” in jersey sales ahead of the tournament. However, other indicators in the same reporting period—such as US store visits, sell-out rates for World Cup merchandise, and footwear visibility among starters—show that momentum is not captured by jersey sales alone.
Adidas apparel growth tied to World Cup jersey sales
M Science data show Adidas apparel spending up 70% in May from the same period a year earlier, continuing into June. The analyst Drake MacFarlane attributed the trend to substantial growth in World Cup jersey sales ahead of the tournament. In that sense, jersey sales function as a direct category-level read on demand for the tournament product.
US store foot traffic adds a second, comparable momentum signal
Placer.ai foot-traffic data reported visits to Adidas US stores surged 47% during the World Cup’s first week versus 2026 averages, compared with an 11% jump at Nike’s US factory stores. The same data set also noted that Adidas store visits rose 16% versus the same week last year, while Nike’s visits showed a drop. Even with the caveat that Nike’s figures cover outlet stores, the contrast still supports the idea that Adidas momentum shows up in retail engagement beyond jerseys alone.
Sell-out rates suggest Nike strength in merchandise availability even as Adidas leads growth
LSEG reported that 28% of Nike’s World Cup merchandise in the US sold out during the first two weeks of the tournament, higher than Adidas’ 7%. This indicates that while Adidas appears to be growing faster in apparel and generating stronger store traffic in the US, Nike’s merchandise also reached high sell-out levels in that early window. Jersey sales growth therefore aligns with Adidas early demand, but it does not fully represent how quickly each brand’s broader World Cup merchandise sells out.
Footwear visibility shows momentum can differ by category
A Reuters analysis found 232 of 528 World Cup starters had worn Nike boots so far, with Adidas close behind at 218. That makes footwear visibility strong for Nike even while Adidas is highlighted for leading apparel momentum in the same coverage. With category differences between jerseys and boots, jersey sales can be an important sign, but it is not the only clearest metric for overall momentum across product lines.

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Are jersey sales the clearest sign of Adidas momentum?

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