Adidas AG expects soccer sales to exceed €1.3 billion ($1.8bn) in
2010 as it gears up for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The first
adidas products for the World Cup will be presented in the second half
of 2009.

“We are well positioned to further extend our market leadership in
football again next year,” said Herbert Hainer, CEO and Chairman of
adidas AG in front of journalists at the adidas Football Day in
Herzogenaurach, according to a statement. “We start from the same
position as for the extremely successful 2006 World Cup. As Official
Sponsor, adidas will supply the Official Ball of the tournament and
equip officials, referees, volunteers and ball kids. Additionally we
outfit the host team South Africa,”

Adidas said that according to the most recent independent market survey
it has a market share of more than 34% in football (soccer). In core
markets such as Germany, and also in North America, adidas' football
market share is over 50%.

“This is the very first time a Football World Cup is taking place on
the African continent,” explained Bernd Wahler, Chief Marketing Officer
adidas Sport Performance.
“We will utilise this event to present new, innovative products and to
convey the fun and excitement the African people find in football to
fans worldwide. The marketing focus will be clearly on digital channels
and POS, in order to be able to communicate as interactively and
individually as possible,” adidas expects to generate double-digit
sales growth in South Africa in the years to come.”

Sales at the last 2006 World Cup in Germany exceeded Adidas’s forecasts
and enabled the company to add 1% to 2% to its share of the global
soccer footwear market. To capitalize on that tournament.

Adidas is the partner and supplier of numerous football federations on
both an international and national level. For example, adidas is
Official Partner of football's international governing body FIFA, the
European Football Union UEFA and the Confederation of African Football
CAF. Adidas is Official Sponsor, Supplier and Licensee to all FIFA
World Cups(TM) until 2014, Official Supplier to Major League Soccer
(USA) and the UEFA Champions League.

National teams equipped by adidas include Argentina, Germany, Spain,
Mexico, Japan, Russia, China and South Africa, host of the FIFA World
Cup 2010(TM) as well as a further fifteen African teams. Adidas is also
official supplier to prominent football clubs including AC Milan,
Chelsea FC, FC Bayern München, Liverpool FC and Real Madrid.
Additionally, stars such as Lionel Messi, Michael Ballack, Kaká, David
Beckham, Petr Cech, Steven Gerrard, Lukas Podolski, Patrick Vieira and
David Villa represent their respective clubs wearing state-of-the-art
adidas football equipment.