Adidas Top Teams Split Into Different Tiers?

Dec 25, 2024

by PTG

219 views

Adidas Tier Restructuring: Adidas is reportedly restructuring its sponsored clubs into three tiers—Elite, Local Elite, and Big—starting in the 2025-26 season.
Tier-Based Benefits: Each tier will have different levels of kit availability, marketing, and design, with Elite clubs having global access to authentic kits while lower tiers have more localized releases or only replicas.
CEO's Influence: Adidas' new policy is believed to be influenced by CEO Bjørn Gulden, who previously implemented a similar strategy at Puma.

According to new information we have, Adidas is making a complete change to its team tiers for the new season.

Adidas to Have 10 Elite Teams in 25-26 Season

May 23, 2025

Adidas Top Teams Split Into Different Tiers?

From the 25-26 season, the major Adidas clubs are likely to be split into three tiers:

Elite clubs: Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Liverpool.
Local elite clubs: Newcastle United, Aston Villa, AS Roma, Celtic, River Plate, Boca Juniors, Flamengo.
Big clubs: Ajax, Benfica, Lyon, Leicester City, Leeds United, Internacional, Besiktas, ...

Accordingly, each tier will also have different benefits:

Elite clubs: Authentic kits available in ALL adidas stores globally. Released in multiple lifestyle collections, marketed globally.
Local elite clubs: New authentic kits with many collections, but only released in the team's countries, maybe more in other continents, markets with potential, not released globally.
Big clubs: Bespoke design jerseys from Adidas HQ. No authentic kits, replica kits released worldwide.

If this is true, this new Adidas policy is likely a change and improvement by CEO Bjørn Gulden. He is the former CEO of Puma (2016-2022) and has been CEO of Adidas since 1 January 2023. This policy is quite similar to the policy of Puma for its top clubs when he was CEO of Puma.

Do you like the fact that Adidas is supplying authentic kits to more teams for the 25-26 season? Do you like Adidas' new tier system for its teams? Comment below.