Decathlon is intensifying its focus on the German market, aiming to establish a dominant presence in the country. With nearly 90 stores already operating in Germany, the sporting goods retailer, owned by the Mulliez family, plans to increase its network to 150 locations by 2027. This expansion requires the addition of 60 new stores within less than three years. To achieve this, the company has allocated a substantial €100 million budget, which will fund both new openings and the modernisation of existing locations.

“We are really stepping up the pace over the next three years and starting a wave of expansion. Ultimately, we want to become the preferred sports brand in Germany,” said Arnaud Sauret, CEO of Decathlon Germany. “To achieve this, we are not only broadening our footprint but also introducing innovative store formats to bring us closer to our customers.”

The company’s approach includes introducing smaller, strategically located stores in high-traffic areas such as pedestrian zones, high streets, and shopping malls. While Decathlon’s existing German stores typically range between 1,800 and 8,000 square metres, the new wave of openings will include locations as compact as 400 to 1,500 square metres. This effort features Decathlon Connect stores, which focus on niche, locally popular activities like mountain sports and urban mobility.

“We want to be represented in the top 15 pedestrian zones in Germany, enabling customers to integrate Decathlon into their daily lives,” explained Stefan Kaiser, director of real estate at Decathlon Germany. “Our vision is to create a Decathlon touchpoint within 20 minutes’ distance for everyone in Germany by 2027”. The retailer is also exploring shop-in-shop concepts with other chains to expand its reach further.

Several key openings include a Connect store in a Potsdam shopping centre in late November, a flagship location on Hamburg’s bustling Mönckebergstrasse by mid-December, and another Connect store set to open on Munich’s Karlsplatz in early January. In Leverkusen, Decathlon will transform a former Galeria department store into a retail space spanning 2,700 square metres, complemented by a 700-square-metre outdoor area.

In addition to expanding its store network, Decathlon is enhancing its repair services. The company plans to add 10 new repair workshops across Germany, with the goal of quadrupling the number of annual repairs from 120,000 to 500,000 by 2027. 

Founded in 1976, Decathlon employs over 6,000 people in Germany, and last year it bought outdoor apparel e-tailer Bergfreunde. In 2023, the company reported €1.11 billion in revenue from its German operations, up 4.7% year-on-year, and EBIT of €38.6 million. Globally, Decathlon’s revenue climbed to €15.6 billion in 2023, equivalent to a 1.15% annual increase.