UK-based Sports Direct has opened a 30,000-square-foot store at Citycenter Mall in Helsinki, Finland, marking its first store in the Nordic region following its parent, Frasers Group, acquiring Norwegian retailer XXL in the summer of 2025.
Spanning two floors, the store features Sports Direct’s signature Running, Football and Outdoor concepts, as well as a dedicated bike zone complete with a workshop providing servicing, maintenance and repairs. Featured brands include Nike, Adidas, Puma, Under Armour, The North Face, and Columbia.
The flagship also includes a USC in-store shop offering a “curated selection of premium and trend-led fashion, footwear and accessories” from brands such as Hugo and Lacoste.
Lauren Barrie, chief retail officer at Frasers Group, said in a statement, “Opening our first Sports Direct store in the Nordics marks an important milestone in our international growth journey. The region is a key strategic market for us, with a strong affinity for sport and outdoor activity, and we’re pleased to be bringing the Sports Direct proposition to customers in Helsinki.”
XXL, founded in Oslo in 2001, operates more than 80 stores across Norway, Sweden and Finland, as well as the largest online sports store in the Nordics. Sports Direct operates about 700 stores, including about 5,000 in the UK.
Image courtesy Sports Direct
