Decathlon (French pronunciation:[dekatlɔ̃]) is a Frenchsporting goodsretailer. With 1,817 stores in 79 countries and regions (2024),[1] it is the largest sporting goods retailer in the world.[4][5]
The company manages the research, design, production, logistics and distribution of its products in-house; partners with global suppliers; and markets its own brands directly to consumers in Decathlon-brandedbig-box stores. The retailer stocks a wide range of sporting goods, fromtennis rackets to advancedscuba diving equipment, usually in large,big-box superstores averaging 4,000 m2 in size.[6] Decathlon Group markets its products under more than 20 brands.[7] The company employs about 101,000 staff (2024).[1]
In September 2019, Decathlon reached an agreement with Alltricks, an online retailer of accessories for cyclists and runners.[19][20][21][22]
In 2022 Decathlon closed their retail store presence in the United States.[23][24]
In 2023, Decathlon opened a training centre inLille.[25] By October 2023, Decathlon had nine training centres in partnership with Afpa Entreprises, an association for the professional training of adults, and three centres of its own on its premises.[25]
In November 2023, Decathlon acquiredBergfreunde, an online specialist retailer for mountain sports, climbing, and outdoor equipment.[26][27] Decathlon is increasing its investments to boost production and expand its retail presence in India, from where it presently exports around 65% of its output to international markets, according to Global CEO Barbara Martin Coppola.[28]
In July 2024, Decathlon reported its investment Recyc'Elit, a start-up specialized in the chemical recycling of polyester textiles and complex PET plastics.[29] This year it was also announced that Decathlon is partneredCNES andSpartan Space to develop an intravehicular spacesuit.[30] In November 2025, Decathlon unveiled its first spacesuit for European astronauts to wear aboard theInternational Space Station.[31][32]
In April 2025, Decathlon initiated a process to sell a 30% stake of its China business, with its China business being valued at over $1 billion.[33]
Decathlon isvertically integrated, designing and developing its own products and marketing under its more than 85brands, with each sport, and often sub-sports and sports groups, having their own. In March 2024, the company launched a simplified brand portfolio consisting of category specialist brands and expert brands.[50][51]
In November 2023, Decathlon was announced as the co-title sponsor of theUCI WorldTeam professional cycling teamAG2R La Mondiale Team in a five-year deal from 2024 onwards, renaming the team as Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale Team.[52]
In July 2025, Decathlon announced it has taken full ownership of the team from AG2R La Mondiale that will take effect at the end of the season. With the full ownership, Decathlon aims to be the world top three team by 2028 and will increase the team budget to €40 million.[53][54] Shortly after, Decathlon announcedCMA CGM as the team's co-title sponsor in a five-year deal and will race as Decathlon–CMA CGM Team starting 1 January 2026.[55]
Decathlon Germany will be the main sponsor of theIBUWorld Cup Biathlon as of the 2021–22 season.[94]
Decathlon bought a five-year naming rights forLille'sStade Pierre-Mauroy for €6 million from 2022 onwards, renaming the stadium as Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre-Mauroy.[95]
Since 2023, Van Rysel has been the title sponsor of theRoubaix cycling team, renaming the team as Van Rysel–Roubaix Team.[86]
Its success has greatly contributed to the decline of independent retailers in France, while the spread of its own brands has caused great difficulties for traditional manufacturers. 2008 was a record year for the company as the brand Decathlon had beaten all its competitors on three key points: margin, market share, and highest turnover per square meter of retail space. It is arguably the third at a global level.[citation needed] A 2008 survey of 774 catchment areas at the request of the Ministry of Economy and Finance shows that "for sporting goods, Decathlon is dominant in 92.8% of zones".[101] This dominant position has the effect of marginalizing its commercial competitors, including independent retailers.[102]
In 2009, Decathlon's sector rivals,Go Sport [fr] andSport 2000 [fr], joined forces to set up a common purchasing centre in Switzerland, intended to "pressurize most of the major international suppliers", according to François Neukirsh, Managing Director of Go Sport, in the newspaperLes Échos. Otherwise, the company does not have significant competition due to its specific target audience in mass-market retail.Intersport is also a major competitor mainly in the European market.Decathlon has changed its name to Nolhtaced for a month in Belgium for promoting reverse shopping.[103]
Decathlon has been under scrutiny after reports indicate that the company's suppliers inSri Lanka's free trade zones violate the country's labour laws.[104]
Since 2003, Decathlon has adopted a social charter of the Social and Environmental Responsibility World Forum regarding human rights, health and safety, respect for the environment, corruption and management and communication.[105] Decathlon has, however, declined to disclose the names of its suppliers.
In February 2025, French investigative media outlet Disclose, in collaboration with the France 2 television program Cash Investigation, published an exposé revealing that Decathlon, a prominent French sports retailer, had sourced products from Qingdao Jifa Group—a Chinese textile manufacturer implicated in state-sponsored forced labor programs targeting the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang. The investigation uncovered that Jifa's subsidiary, Xinjiang Xirong Clothing, received government subsidies to "train ethnic minorities," a practice associated with coercive labor transfers. Additionally, a manager at a Jifa facility acknowledged that cotton used in their production could originate from Xinjiang, raising concerns about forced labor in Decathlon's supply chain.[106]
Following the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, many international, particularly Western companies, pulled out of Russia. Decathlon has been criticized for not announcing any scaling down of its operations.[107][108] On 29 March, Decathlon announced that it has ceased its operations and suspended the operation of all its stores in Russia.[109] However, reports in mid-June indicated that the stores are still in operation and may be temporally closed by the end of the month until it becomes possible to renew supplies.[110]
In May 2023, it became known that the Turkish company FLO Retailing and the Lebanese Azadea Group were negotiating the purchase of the Russian Decathlon. FLO Retailing has previously bought the Russian business of the Reebok chain.[111] As a result, the Russian government approved the sale of Decathlon to the Russian company ARM, which previously acquired the brand of the Spanish retailerMango on a franchise basis. ARM promised to reopen all 35 Decathlon stores in Russia.[112] In December 2023, Decathlon confirmed that they are supplying a limited quantity of their products to ARM for a limited time period as part of the company's disengagement agreement in Russia in respond to a report that the company continued to supply their products to Russia through shell companies.[113][114]
^"Key figures". figures found in source code of website. Archived fromthe original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved15 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^« La déferlante des MDD façon Decathlon déstabilise évidemment les marques traditionnelles. », Gilles Tanguy : Decathlon, le colosse qui écrase tous ses rivaux,Capital, 3 July 2009; « Cinq cents personnes rassemblées jeudi à Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis) à l'appel de la fédération textile - habillement - cuir CGT, ont envahi un magasin Decathlon près du Stade de France pour protester contre les plans de licenciements et les délocalisations dans le secteur textile, a-t-on appris de sources policière et syndicale. »,Nouvelobs.com, 06.03.2003.
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Decathlon–CMA CGM (Bike supplier)[52]
Coki Nieto[87]
Robert Downer[88]
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