Adidas ranks 24th, Red Bull 51st and Decathlon 57th in Brand Finance’s Europe 500 2026. JD Sports and Puma fall in the rankings, while Reebok climbs 35 places.
Adidas, Red Bull and Decathlon are among the highest-ranked brands with strong links to the sports industry in Brand Finance’s Europe 500 2026, according to the latest edition of the annual ranking. Their positions reflect different business models spanning sportswear manufacturing, retail and brand-led sports marketing.
Adidas ranks 24th among Europe’s most valuable brands, down three places from 21st in 2025. The German sportswear company is the highest-ranked sports equipment brand in the list. Its business model combines product sales with major sponsorship agreements involving clubs, national teams, competitions and athletes.
Red Bull climbs nine places to 51st, up from 60th a year earlier. The Austrian energy drinks company continues to use sport as a central platform for brand building, combining its beverage business with team ownership, event organisation and sports content production.
Decathlon ranks 57th, compared with 56th in 2025. The French sports retailer remains among Europe’s top 60 brands, supported by a business model focused on distributing sports equipment and making participation in a wide range of sports more accessible.
Puma and JD Sports fall as Reebok gains ground
The rankings show contrasting movements among other brands connected to the sports industry.
JD Sports drops 76 places, from 114th in 2025 to 190th in 2026. Puma also declines, falling 54 places from 160th to 214th.
Reebok moves in the opposite direction, climbing 35 places from 363rd to 328th. Oakley ranks 458th in the 2026 edition, although no comparable position for 2025 was provided.
The results illustrate the different ways brands linked to sport seek to build value. Manufacturers such as Adidas and Puma combine product portfolios with sponsorship agreements, while retailers such as Decathlon and JD Sports depend more heavily on distribution and consumer reach. Red Bull has developed a broader approach, using sport as a platform for marketing, content production and team ownership.
However, the Europe 500 ranking does not directly compare company revenues, market shares or sports sponsorship expenditure.
Santander leads Spain’s brands
Santander is Spain’s most valuable brand in the 2026 ranking, with a brand value of €24.2 billion, up 23% year on year. The bank ranks 14th overall in Europe.
BBVA ranks 40th, with a brand value of €13.1 billion following a 58% annual increase.
A total of 22 Spanish brands feature in the Europe 500 2026. Their combined brand value reaches €112.8 billion, an increase of 11% compared with 2025.
Brand Finance distinguishes between brand value and brand strength. Brand value estimates the economic benefit associated with owning a brand, while brand strength measures a brand’s performance relative to competitors across a range of intangible indicators.
The Europe 500 therefore provides a comparison of brand value and positioning across sectors, rather than a ranking of sports companies by revenue or sponsors by spending on sport.