2026 JANUARY ISSUE
THE WORLD
OF
ANTA SPORTS
Written by ANDREW SIA
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From the Desk of the Publisher
A Chinese manufacturer in the 1990s, relatively unknown in the sportswear business, was doing OEM for Nike and Adidas. They gathered the experience and started to sell the sportswear in the China market. In 2009, they acquired the exclusive right of Fila for the China market, and since then they never looked back again.
Their acquisitions for the international sports brands have been very successful, but their brand is still unknown in the international market. Their sponsorship of NBA’s basketball player, Kerie Irving, and the opening of the flagship store in Beverly Hills is helping the international aware of its brand.
In fact, at this time Anta is already the world’s third-largest sportswear company by revenue. With a 2024 revenue of $9.9 billion, it is following closely to Nike and Adidas and overtook Puma.
THE WORLD OF ANTA SPORTS
Anta Sports began in 1991 as a contract manufacturer in Fujian, a coastal province overlooking Taiwan across the strait. It became the hub for western brands especially in the sports arena, and names like Nike and Adidas were sourcing there. Anta Sports was the few in those days with the strategy encompassing both the overseas and home market.
In 2009, it acquired the market right for China from Fila, a prestigious Italian sports brand. It started in 1911 in Biella, Italy. In 2007, Fila Korea acquired its global brand making it the largest sportswear brand in Korea.
Today, Fila makes up more than a third of Anta Sports total revenue, compared with Anta’s own brand at 44%.
In this January, Anta Sports put up a deal of €1.5 billion to become Puma’s biggest shareholder. The purchase represented 29% stake in Puma, and it becomes its largest shareholder. This brings Anta closer to the international sports market.
Puma is a major German multinational corporation that deals with design, development, and marketing high-performance athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories. It was founded in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler, and it is the world’s third-largest sportswear manufacturer. So that we know, Rudolf’s brother, Adolf, entered into a feud with his brother and split their original shoe business into Puma and Adidas in 1948.
In 2007, Puma was acquired by the French luxury group, Kering, for a control share. But in 2018, Kering began to spin-off its majority stake and distributed 70% of Puma shares to its own shareholders. Between 2018 to 2021, Kering continued to sell its remaining shares and focus on its high-end luxury business. Currently its group doesn’t hold any of Puma’s shares.
So that we know, as of 2023, Puma’s total revenue reached €8.6 billion.
As of early 2026, China’s Anta Sports is in the process of becoming the largest shareholder of Puma, buying a 29% stake from the Pinault family. Its €1.5 billion deal will make it the largest shareholder for an ailing German brand.
Anta Group made the total revenue of $5.5 billion in 2025’s first half and it is already a prominent brand in China.
Anta Sports is the controlling owner and parent company of Amer Sports. It led an investment consortium to acquire the Finish sporting goods company for €4.6 billion in 2019. This acquisition transformed the Finnish company to become a subsidiary of Anta Sports. After re-listing Amer Sports in New York in 2024, Anta now owns 39% of the company. Under this acquisition, it owns well-known brands, such as Arc’teryx, Salomon, and Wilson, in China through its US-listed Amer Sports. Amer’s Greater China revenue rose 47% year-on-year to $461 million in the third quarter of 2025, over its overall revenue growth of 30%.
Arc’teryx is a premium Canadian brand found in Canada for high-performance, technical outdoor apparel and equipment, and known for its durable, waterproof Gore-Tex jackets.
Salomon is another premium French sports equipment manufacturing company found in 1947 in the French Alps—Annecy, for high-performance footwear, apparel, and skiing gear, snowboarding, and trail running. It is now part of the Finnish sports conglomerate—Amer Sports.
Wilson Sporting Goods is a premier Chicago-based manufacturer of high-performance sports equipment, apparel, and accessories. It was founded in 1914, and it is a leader of racket sports, baseball, football, basketball, and golf. It is supplying equipment to athletes from professionals to enthusiasts. It is also a subsidiary of Amer Sports.
Last year, it acquitted Jack Wolfskin, a German outdoor wear and equipment found in Idstein, Germany for nearly $300 million. It is known for waterproof clothing, shoes, tents, and equipment.
Ante Sports founder, Ding Shizhong, has pledged to build, “Not China’s Nike, but the world’s Ante” and through the stock market to fund its further expansion.
Anta Sports has high expectation to grow Puma in the long-term potential of the brand.
Anta’s own brand remains little known outside China, and by sponsoring US basketball stars, such as Kerie Irving, and open flagship store in Beverly Hills can promote the image of the brand.
In China’s domestic market, it has been challenging due to its recent financial pressures. Nike last month reported a 17% drop in Greater China revenue for the quarter ended November 2025. Adidas net sales were flat in the third quarter, even though its overall sales hit a record high.
We have to know that Nike’s annual sales of $46 billion in 2025 ended May made it the largest sporting company. Adidas’s full year sales of $29.5 billion made the company the second largest in sporting goods. Puma’s $7.48 billion made it the third company.
Anyway, from another source we noted the top 10 sportswear brand in the world with their turnover as the following. But it was dated 2023 and it can tell us the bigger picture.
Nike $46.71 billion
Adidas $24.56 billion
Puma $7.48 billion
Lululemon $7.06 billion
Under Armour $5.68 billion
New Balance $4.5 billion
Colombia $3.42 billion
Fila $3.25 billion
Asics $2.82 billion
Reebok $2.3 billion
With Anta’s $5.4 billion, we have to mention that it is also very significant and perhaps can enter as the top 5 brands. Not to forget that Anta Sports will continue to buy the other sporting companies, and I can already sense that someone up there will be its next target. Until then, it can become the number two on that list.
Anta Sports began in 1991 as a contract manufacturer in Fujian, it gained a lot of experience in its days of managing production for Nike, Adidas, and Puma, and the like. It is entering into the competition in the global market now.
Visiting the website of : anta.com/collections/new-arrival
