adidas launch grassroots and amateur football initiative

Wolves’ kit manufacturer adidas have launched an initiative designed to help grassroots and amateur football teams across Europe with a provision of 150,000 free kits.

The adidas Football Collective: For the Game experience will live through adidas.com and the adidas app.

In 2020 the future of football clubs across the world has been thrown into doubt more than at any other time in recent history. In Europe, whilst the top divisions at the elite level have largely returned to entertaining fans and playing in stadiums, there are significant challenges at lower levels of football.

Traditional revenue streams that maintain football have been severely affected and at the amateur level particularly, there is no safety net or support structure in place to keep clubs and teams going through this challenging time. One of the biggest financial considerations for a club or team at this level is the purchase of their kit, which not only has an important functional purpose but creates identity, belonging and connection.

To alleviate this concern for teams and clubs adidas have created the adidas Football Collective: For the Game initiative that will deliver 150,000 kits to over 10,000 teams across Europe throughout November with adult, women’s and youth sets being provided. The largest ever support of its kind from the brand is live from today with teams or individuals being able to simply sign up to win a kit at adidas.com or the adidas app. The opportunity will close on 9th November at which point adidas will draw the winners at random and they will receive their kits latest mid-December.

The initiative will be amplified by adidas social channels, athletes and partners as well as by one of the world’s leading coaches, Jurgen Klopp, who said: “The last few months have all been about bringing the professional game back, but let’s be honest – its football for a few. Without grassroots, there is no professional football. We have to support the amateur game as well. 150,000 football kits to 10,000 teams in Europe. That’s our pledge to amateur football.”

Christian Leiser, VP adidas Football Europe, said: “Whilst it’s been amazing to see the game we love return to our screens we know that football’s real power lies in its simplicity and universal appeal. Football kits are one of the few things you need to create a game and bring people together though sport. We hope that the adidas Football Collective: For the Game initiative will help footballers across Europe continue to enjoy the game they love.”

As well as provision of men’s, women’s and youth kits there will be a range of colourways and sizes available. The initiative will be open to footballers in the following countries; UK, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Czech Republic. Simply visit adidas.com/footballcollective, go through the adidas app or connect with participating local teamwear retailers.

The For the Game initiative has been created under the banner of the recently launched adidas Football Collective – a new movement and unique cooperative of individuals, clubs and communities who are united by the belief that through football, a positive change can be created. Building on its own history of utilising the power of sport to change lives, and bringing together its past, current and future initiative, adidas have committed to continue to work together with local trailblazers to help evolve and develop city-specific initiatives under the adidas Football Collective badge.

For further information please visit adidas.com/football or follow @adidasfootball on Instagram or twitter to join the conversation.