Five years after entering French professional football as a supplier, Decathlon’s Kipsta brand graduates to Major Partner of the LFP – a status upgrade that positions a mass-market sports retailer at the commercial center of France’s top two football divisions.
Decathlon has been elevated to Major Partner of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), the body governing French professional football, in a deal covering five additional seasons through 2032. The upgrade formalises and deepens a commercial relationship that began in 2022, when Decathlon’s in-house football brand Kipsta first became official ball supplier for Ligue 1 McDonald’s and Ligue 2 BKT.
The announcement follows five seasons of partnership and marks Decathlon’s transition from a functional vendor role to a named Major Partner across all LFP competitions.
Upgraded status brings wider commercial reach across matchdays and digital
Under the expanded terms, Decathlon will retain official ball supply rights for both divisions while gaining greater visibility during live matches and on the competitions’ digital platforms. The LFP has framed the partnership as a way to extend its reach beyond France, using Decathlon’s international retail network – more than 1,900 stores across 60-plus countries – as a distribution channel for the league’s brand.
All official match balls will continue to be produced at Decathlon’s dedicated team sports design centre in Tourcoing, in northern France.
Ball durability emerges as a shared sustainability objective
The deal also sets out a joint sustainability commitment. Decathlon and the LFP have agreed to work towards extending ball lifespan and reducing how often balls are replaced across competitions – an operational target framed as an environmental measure that does not come at the cost of on-pitch performance.
