Adidas CEO Warns of Over-Marketing Football

Adidas CEO Kasper Rorsted warned about the sport becoming over-commercialized in an interview with German sports magazine Kicker. Investors would profit but fans would lose interest.

Kasper Rorsted complained about the recent decision by FIFA to increase the World Cup competition to 48 teams from the current 32 starting in 2026.

FIFA made the decision “without asking us,” Mr. Rorsted said in an interview with Kicker magazine, referring to the sponsors. “And they knew very well what our opinion was.” The head of Adidas is concerned that FIFA’s eagerness to get more teams involved is motivated by greed and will lead to a dilution in quality of play. “When everything becomes commercial and no longer emotional, then soccer fans will switch off,” he said.

FIFA recently also decided to expand the Club World Cup from the current seven participants to 24 and hold it every four years instead of annually. That decision seemed largely inspired by club investors, who estimated the expansion would generate $25 billion in additional revenue in the period between 2021-33.

The increase in championship competitions extends the season, lowers the quality of play and could easily lead to fans losing interest, according to critics, including Adidas and other sponsors.

Mr. Rorsted approves that the 2026 World Cup was awarded to Mexico, Canada and the United States. Mexico is a top soccer country and there is an opportunity to further develop the soccer fan base in the US, he said.

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