Nike Deepens Its Commitment to the Next Generation of Female Athletes, Kicking Off with the Upcoming Summer of Football
Unveils 14 National Team Collections in Paris, announces new partnership with UEFA Women’s Football and highlights grassroots commitments
PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Today, more than 28 of the world’s top female footballers joined Nike (NYSE:NKE) in Paris to unveil 14 National Team Collections for this summer’s tournament in France. Record-breaking gymnast Simone Biles, champion fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, two-time Grand Slam winner Li Na and other elite athletes also joined Nike in highlighting new partnerships to champion women and girls in sport.
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28 of the world’s top footballers joined Nike (NKE: NYSE) in Paris to unveil 14 National Team Collections. From left to right: Wang Shuang and Wu Haiyan (China); Sophie Schmidt and Janine Beckie (Canada); Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe (USA); Thembi Kgatlana and Janine Van Wyk (South Africa); Sam Kerr and Ellie Carpenter (Australia); María José Rojas and Karen Araya (Chile); Marie-Antoinette Katoto and Grace Geyoro (France); Lieke Martens and Danielle van de Donk (The Netherlands); Selgi Jang and Sohyun Cho (South Korea); Steph Houghton and Toni Duggan (England); Asisat Oshoala and Rasheedat Ajibade (Nigeria); Adriana Silva and Andressa Alves (Brasil); Annalie Longo and Hannah Wilkinson (New Zealand); and Caroline Graham Hansen and Frida Maanum (Norway). Photo Credit: Elaine Constantine
“We believe this summer can be another turning point for the growth of women’s football,” said NIKE, Inc. Chairman, President and CEO Mark Parker. “And our bigger ambition is for that energy and participation to extend into all sports. Nike’s commitment is to continue our leading support of competitive athletes, invest in the next generation at the grassroots level and deliver more innovative and compelling product design for women.”
At the historic Palais Brongniart, Nike revealed an array of future-forward women’s innovation. Design for the 14 National Team Kits began with gathering detailed input on fit from professional footballers, followed by 4D scanning and motion capture in the Nike Sports Research Lab. Echoing this focus on women’s-specific precision engineering is Nike’s Spring/Summer 2019 high-performance bra collection, which was also on display at the event. Beyond innovations in fit, the National Team Kits reflect Nike’s continued commitment to being the world’s most sustainable sports brand, with each 2019 Nike Kit constructed from at least 12 recycled plastic bottles. Since 2010, Nike has diverted more than 6 billion plastic bottles from landfills through sustainable product design.
At the event, Nike also announced a new three-year partnership with UEFA Women’s Football, building on its support of elite footballers from North America to China, and its support of standout female athletes worldwide. In basketball, Nike is partnering with the WNBA, FIBA and the Chinese Basketball Association to grow the women’s game. Meanwhile, at the collegiate level, Nike is partnering with more than 200 universities across the U.S. to support more than 25,000 top female athletes across multiple sports.
At the grassroots level, Nike is addressing barriers to girls’ participation in sport through new community partnerships and access to products to help girls play with confidence. In Paris, Nike is partnering with Sport dans la Ville to train female coaches and engage girls through sports ranging from football and boxing to tennis and dance. Globally, Nike is collaborating with Women Win and Gurls Talk to support rising female coaches who are inspiring the next generation of girls to be active. And from London to Los Angeles, and Beijing to Buenos Aires, Nike is piloting a program to provide products such as the Nike Pro Hijab and Nike Classic Sports Bra to girls in need through schools and community partners worldwide.
Inspiration for these partnerships comes from female athletes who embody strength, power, and the heart and soul of Nike. Throughout 2019, Nike will honor female champions and changemakers with the next phase of its “Just Do It” campaign, which has inspired millions of athletes to chase their crazy dreams. This year, Nike’s campaign shines a spotlight on women around the world who have broken barriers, revolutionized sport and helped level the playing field for all. Click here to view the newest chapters in Nike’s “Just Do It” film series, launching this year in key cities across the globe.
NIKE, Inc., based near Beaverton, Ore., is the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned NIKE, Inc. subsidiary brands include Converse, which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Hurley, which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, Nike’s earnings releases and other financial information are available at http://investors.nike.com. Individuals can also visit http://news.nike.com and follow @Nike.
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