The Biggest Sports Brands in the World – Top 10 by Real Revenue

“Biggest” can mean market cap or brand value, but the most concrete yardstick is revenue! Here are the top 10 most lucrative sports brands in the world…

We’ve used recent reported annual sales to come up with a list of the biggest sports-led brands, including leading names in apparel and equipment.

The list reflects the industry’s split personality: legacy giants with vast wholesale footprints, specialty players growing double digits, and Chinese leaders scaling fast at home and abroad. Let’s dive in!

1. Nike

Nike remains the industry’s revenue leader. In fiscal 2024, NIKE, Inc. reported $51.36 billion in sales, with the Nike Brand at $12.1 billion for Q4 and company revenues of $12.6 billion in that quarter.

The top line underpins a sprawling engine of performance footwear, as well as a recalibration between wholesale partners and direct channels. 

Even with margin pressure and category mix shifts, the sheer scale of Nike’s footwear and apparel franchises keeps it No. 1 by sales. Brand Finance continues to rate Nike as one of the strongest in global apparel.

Read a full history of Women’s Air Jordan – a sport x fashion story!

2. Adidas

Adidas closed 2024 with €21.43 billion in net sales. The reset under CEO Bjørn Gulden has focused on cleaner inventories, stable gross margins, and channel discipline after a somewhat turbulent period. 

Although currency and Yeezy-related comparisons affected year-on-year optics, Adidas remains a clear No. 2 by global revenue, with running, football and Originals anchoring its multi-category breadth across EMEA, the Americas and APAC.

Check out our article for the best retro football adverts – how did Nike, Adidas and Reebok promote themselves in the ‘90s?

3. Decathlon

Decathlon is not just a retailer. It builds and sells its own brands across over 70 markets, which makes its sales a direct measure of brand reach. The group posted €16.2 billion in net sales in 2024. Here’s what contributed to that figure:

• 1,817 local stores

• Reach across 79 territories

• Licensed Paris 2024 products for the Summer Olympics 

Because Decathlon controls design, sourcing and retail, it can price aggressively and invest in in-house innovation. That vertical model explains how it sits among the world’s biggest sports brands by revenue, even as a retailer. 

4. Anta Sports

China’s Anta has become one of the world’s largest sportswear groups through multi-brand scale, including Anta, FILA China and other banners. For full-year 2024, Anta reported RMB 70.8 billion in revenue, up 13.6% year on year. 

The company also disclosed a strong first half of 2025 at RMB 38.5 billion. With a growing international push and a deep domestic store base, Anta is now in the same revenue sphere as Western incumbents Nike and Adidas.

Looking for more? Check out our article for the top 6 most popular sports in China!

5. Lululemon

Lululemon crossed the $10 billion revenue mark in 2024, posting $10.6 billion and double-digit growth, according to the company’s year-end release and annual report. The brand has shifted from an athleisure leader to a multi-category performance player across women’s, men’s and accessories. 

International expansion, community-based retail, and product innovation in running and training all underpin the brand’s scale. Revenue concentration remains strong in North America, but Lululemon is still significant in many major international cities, with advantageous profitability metrics.

6. Skechers

Skechers reported $8.97 billion in 2024 sales, a company record, with both wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels contributing to strong growth. Constant-currency sales topped $9.04 billion. Volume, value and comfort positioning have given Skechers a defensible niche against premium competitors. 

The brand’s international mix is large and always growing, which cushions regional volatility. With product hits in walking, work and lifestyle, Skechers continues to compound beyond the US market. It sits comfortably among the top global sports and active footwear companies by revenue. 

7. Puma

Puma posted €8.82 billion in 2024 sales, up 4.4% currency-adjusted, according to its Annual Report. The brand’s performance lifestyle blend, stronger football presence and steady women’s offering helped offset uneven regional trends. 

While its scale trails Adidas and Nike, Puma’s agility and product cadence keep it competitive, and global athlete partnerships provide resonance across football, track and motorsport. The company’s gross margin and inventory discipline through 2024 underline a focus on profitable growth rather than chasing volume at any cost.

8. New Balance

Privately held New Balance hit a record $7.8 billion in 2024 sales, up about 20% year on year. The Boston-based brand has surged on the back of a successful lifestyle crossover and selective wholesale aligned to premium partners. 

Without the pressure of public markets, New Balance has successfully balanced scale with brand heat, leveraging fashion collaborations and Made in USA/UK storylines to sustain demand across regions. The brand’s 2024 sales place NB firmly within the global top tier by revenue.

9. Under Armour

Under Armour’s most recent full-year revenue sits around the $5–$5.7 billion range, depending on period cut-off. Aggregators tracking their filings put 2024 revenue at about $5.31–$5.70 billion, reflecting a business in reset mode, with category and channel simplification.

The brand remains meaningful in team sports and training, with a product pipeline focused on on-court, on-field and next-gen apparel technologies. While growth is moderate, Under Armour’s North American presence and collegiate partnerships continue to underpin a multibillion-dollar base.

10. Li-Ning

Li-Ning reported RMB 28.68 billion in 2024 revenue, up 3.9% year on year. The brand mixes national-team credibility with fashion-forward lines and investments in running tech. 

Although smaller than Anta, Li-Ning’s scale, profitability and cash generation have made it a durable No. 2 domestic champion in China. Internationally, Li-Ning continues to seed key cities and categories, while keeping its core growth engine focused on the vast home market.

The Biggest Sports Brands in the World

The biggest sports brands by revenue now span three power blocs. First are the Western incumbents, led by Nike and Adidas, with Puma, Skechers, Lululemon and New Balance forming a strong middle.

Second are the Chinese leaders, with Anta and Li-Ning building enormous domestic platforms and expanding overseas. Third is the retail-brand hybrid, where Decathlon’s vertical model creates global scale at accessible price points.

There’s no longer just one way to grow. Some brands are compounding double digits on a tight category focus, while others are prioritising margin and inventory discipline. What unites them is product credibility, distribution control, and an audience reach large enough to turn innovation into billions of dollars in sales.

But stay tuned! We expect the top 10 to keep shifting as Chinese groups expand internationally and speciality players convert category wins into multi-category portfolios.