Adidas Partners With SAFA As Official Kit Sponsor

As previously reported by Sportswire, Adidas has joined forces with the South African Football Association (SAFA) to become the official kit sponsor for all national teams for the next three years.

Adidas will replace French brand Le Coq Sportif, whose contract with SAFA expires at the end of this year.

This means Bafana Bafana will continue wearing the Le Coq Sportif kit during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals, which will take place in Morocco from December to January next year.

The Adidas kit will make its debut during Bafana Bafana’s March FIFA international break, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in June.

Bafana Bafana secured qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Rwanda to clinch the top spot in Group C.

“The South African Football Association (SAFA) and Adidas are proud to announce a landmark three-year partnership that will see the global sports brand become the official technical sponsor of South Africa’s national football teams,” said SAFA in a statement.

“This partnership marks a powerful homecoming for Adidas, reigniting the spirit of unity and pride that captured the world during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

“Fifteen years later, that same sense of belief and belonging returns as South Africa once again stands ready to make its mark on the global stage.

“With Bafana Bafana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Banyana Banyana’s continued rise in women’s football, Adidas and SAFA are uniting to celebrate a new generation of South African excellence. Together, they will carry forward Adidas’ rallying call: ‘You Got This.’”

SAFA CEO Lydia Monyepao said: “This partnership is more than a sponsorship – it’s a return to shared values of pride, resilience, and performance. Adidas has long been part of our football story, and together we’ll inspire South Africans everywhere to believe they’ve got what it takes.

“This return also strengthens our standing among global football nations as we continue to compete regularly in FIFA and CAF tournaments, supported by a brand that invests in innovation, performance, and style to meet the needs of a modern sports organisation like ours.”

Tom Brown, Senior Brand Director of Adidas South Africa, added: “Football has the power to change lives while uniting and inspiring people. Adidas has a proud and rich football heritage, pioneering products for the best teams and athletes around the world.

“We’re proud to once again stand alongside Bafana Bafana, Banyana Banyana, and other SAFA teams as they represent the spirit of South Africa on the international stage.”

Adidas previously partnered with SAFA from 1998 to 2010, a period during which Bafana Bafana wore Adidas kits at two FIFA World Cups — in 2002 (South Korea and Japan) and 2010, when South Africa hosted the tournament.

Interestingly, the last three FIFA World Cup winners — including Argentina, who lifted the trophy in Qatar 2022 — have all worn Adidas kits.