WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Nike v. Adidas: Soccer World Cup sponsors gear up for England, Spain finale
When England and Spain face off in Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final, there will be more than sporting pride at stake. A potential multimillion dollar sales boost is also on the table for the winning team’s sponsor – Nike, or Adidas.
Sports sponsorship is a huge driver of sales for apparel manufacturers. In 2019, Nike’s home jersey for the World Cup-winning U.S. National Women’s Team became the top-selling soccer jersey, for both men and women, ever sold in a single season on its website, executives told investors.
Overall revenue in the first quarter after the tournament grew 10%, Nike said, including double-digit growth in the company’s women’s business “off the back of an incredible summer of celebrating female athletes.”
Apparel revenue from the 2019 Women’s World Cup was four times bigger than it was for the 2015 event, executives said.
Now longtime rivals Nike, sponsoring England, and Adidas, sponsoring Spain, will be hoping to build on that performance.
“It’s after the game when they really start to get that exposure and bang for their buck,” added Liz Papasakelariou, the North American consumer products lead for consulting group Publicis Sapient.
Nike and Adidas accounted for the majority of the kits worn in the women’s tournament, with 23 of the 32 team jerseys in the newly expanded field supplied by the two companies. Nike backed 13 teams, while Adidas had 10.
An unpredictable tournament with major power players knocked out early created bumps in demand for merchandise from the two sportswear giants.
Nike lost enormous earning potential as the U.S. team, which it has sponsored since 1995, suffered their earliest exit ever in the tournament.
However, its deal with the European champions England has proven lucrative as the Lionesses go for their maiden title in the final against Spain.
The England women’s jersey, priced at 79.95 pounds ($102), was sold out in all sizes except for extra-small on retailer JD Sports’ (JD.L) website on Wednesday, mimicking the demand seen during the Lionesses’ historic run to the European Championship last year.
England jerseys looked set to sell out before the final at retailer Sports Direct, with a “massive uptick” in demand for celebration flags and bunting too, according to Ger Wright, managing director of sport at parent company Frasers Group (FRAS.L).
“The demand for the Lionesses Nike jersey has been incredibly strong, and given their tremendous win to make it into the final, we expect fans will be showing their support by wearing the team’s colors,” Nike said.
Adidas said it sees “continued demand” for Spain jerseys and is replenishing stocks in retail partners and its own stores. Its replica jerseys are priced at 90 euros, while authentic jerseys cost 140 euros.
The German sportswear giant also plans to roll out “bespoke celebratory apparel” within days of the final if Spain lift the trophy.
Tournament co-host Australia’s run to the semi-final, where they lost to England on Wednesday, also prompted “unprecedented demand” for the team’s jersey, Nike said, with 13 times as many sold to date in Australia than in the same period of the 2019 tournament.
Adidas’ CEO earlier this month said demand for its Women’s World Cup products overall has been stronger than it expected.
Spanish broadcaster TVE saw an average of 1.92 million viewers with a 45.5% share during Spain’s semi-final win over Sweden, making it the most watched Women’s World Cup match yet in the country.
With an average audience of 7.13 million viewers – and a peak of 11.15 million – Australia’s semi-final against England was the highest-rated television program in Australia recorded by research firm OzTAM since it launched in 2001.
-Reuters
The Iranian women’s soccer team crossed the Turkish border into Iran on Wednesday to complete a fraught return journey from Australia, after five members withdrew asylum claims they had lodged there.
Australia had granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member after they sought asylum, saying they feared possible persecution if they returned to Iran.
Concerns over their safety surfaced when several players failed to sing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month after the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran. Iranian state television had labelled them “wartime traitors”.
The team, which flew into Istanbul on Tuesday, took a flight to Igdir in eastern Turkey on Wednesday morning.
The players emerged from Igdir Airport, pulling their luggage and chatted in front of the terminal before boarding a bus to the border. One of them briefly smiled and waved at a TV camera before the bus departed. After a trip of around two hours to the frontier, they went through passport control at the Gurbulak border gate before crossing over into Iran.
A bus carrying members of the Iranian women’s national soccer team arrives at the Gurbulak Border Gate, a crossing point between Turkey and Iran, as they travel to their home country after five players withdrew the asylum claims they had lodged in Australia over safety concerns about returning due to not singing the national anthem at a women’s Asian Cup match earlier this month, in the eastern Agri province, Turkey, March 18, 2026. REUTERS/Ali Ihsan Ozturk
The team’s Asian Cup campaign began just as the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament more than a week ago.
Five of those who had sought asylum in Australia subsequently changed their minds and decided to return home, with Australian media reporting the latest withdrawal on Monday.
They rejoined the rest of the squad in Kuala Lumpur, where the team had been staying since leaving Sydney last week.
The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) said last week that those who had changed their minds would travel home with the rest of the team “to once again be embraced by their families and homeland.”
Two players are still in Australia and have been pictured training with a local A-League club.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
The two players from the Iranian women’s soccer squad who chose to remain in Australia after seeking asylum have been pictured training with a local A-League club as they begin their new lives in the country.
Midfielder Fatemeh Pasandideh and defender Atefeh Ramezanizadeh were among seven members of Iran’s delegation granted humanitarian visas amid fears of possible persecution if they returned home after competing in the women’s Asian Cup in Australia.
Concerns over their safety emerged after the players failed to sing their national anthem before their opening match on the Gold Coast in the state of Queensland. Iranian state media labelled them as “wartime traitors”, with the team’s campaign beginning as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran.
Five members of the group, however, subsequently changed their minds about Australia’s asylum offer and decided to return home.
Queensland-based A-League club Brisbane Roar announced on social media the remaining two players, Pasandideh and Ramezanizadeh, had joined a training session with its women’s team on Monday.
“Brisbane Roar officially welcomed both Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanizadeh to the club’s training facilities…and remain committed to providing a supportive environment for them whilst they navigate the next stages,” CEO Kaz Patafta said.
Photos posted by the club showed the two players meeting the Brisbane Roar squad and taking part in shooting drills.
“Thank you for everything,” wrote Ramezanizadeh, 33, under the post on Instagram.
Pasandideh, 21, also posted on her Instagram story on Monday a photo with FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis in Brisbane with a caption saying “everything will be fine”.
While the pair began their new lives in Australia, their former teammates made their way home to Iran from Malaysia.
The team was seen at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday evening, checking in on an Oman Air flight, although their destination was unclear.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Three Iranian women soccer players to return home after seeking asylum in Australia
Three members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who had sought asylum in Australia have decided to return to Iran, Australia’s government said on Sunday.
Australia granted humanitarian visas to seven Iranian footballers last week after they sought asylum, saying they feared persecution if they returned home after they failed to sing the national anthem at a Women’s Asian Cup match.
Four of the seven members have decided to leave Australia so far. Another member changed her mind last week.
“After telling Australian officials they had made this decision, the players were given repeated chances to talk about their options,” Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said in a statement.
“While the Australian Government can ensure that opportunities are provided and communicated, we cannot remove the context in which the players are making these incredibly difficult decisions,” he added.
The Iranian Football Association (FFIRI) named the players as Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali and Zahra Meshkehkar.
“After arriving in Malaysia and joining the rest of Iran’s women’s national football team, the three players will travel to Tehran in the coming days to once again be embraced by their families and homeland,” FFIRI added in a statement.
The Iranian team’s campaign in the Asian Cup started just as the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on Iran, killing the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. They were eliminated from the tournament last Sunday.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- AFCON1 week ago
AFCON to Expand to 28 Teams as CAF Unveils New Competition Calendar
- World Cup6 days ago
Infantino promises FIFA backing for Iran to play at World Cup
- AFCON1 week ago
CAF May Sanction Senegal Over AFCON Trophy Parade
- Governing Bodies1 week ago
BREAKING! Nigeria’s Samson Adamu Appointed Acting CAF General Secretary
- Nigerian Football5 days ago
NFF to inaugurate electoral committees ahead of September elections
- Table Tennis7 days ago
Aruna Faces Tough Draw as Africa Targets Glory at ITTF World Cup in Macao
- Governing Bodies2 days ago
The Building of Another Sports Dynasty: From Fahmy to Adamu
- World Cup3 days ago
Italy federation chief resigns after another World Cup failure