Adidas will pay between 65 million and 70 million euros ($73-$79 million) a year to extend its sponsorship deal with the German soccer association (DFB), Sport Bild reported on Friday. The German sportswear company, which declined to comment on the report, currently pays around 25 million euros a year to supply the world champions but faced competition from US rival Nike for the contract. Under the new agreement, Adidas will continue to provide the outfit for national teams for four years from 2019, the newspaper said on Friday, citing sources within DFB.
DFB officials were not immediately available for comment. A battle between Adidas and Nike for dominance of the global soccer gear market has driven a steep rise in sponsorship payments to elite clubs. Adidas said on Thursday it expects sales of soccer boots, shirts and balls to rise 14 percent to a new record of 2.5 billion euros in 2016, showing a return for spending more on partnerships with top teams and players.