Nike’s Iconic Nigeria World Cup Play

CBx Vibe: Icon” Jaden Smith

  • 3 million people pre-ordered Nigeria replica jerseys
  • Nike’s deal with the Nigeria Football Federation is worth $3.75M

Nigeria isn’t one of the favorites to win the 2018 World Cup but it has certainly won the title of best kit among fans. First revealed back in February, the kit sold out in minutes with fans eager to shell out $90 for a shirt. Are kit deals lucrative for a country’s football federation?

Why This Matters: Three million people pre-ordered Nigeria replica jerseys, according to the Nigeria Football Federation. Nike (NKE -0.30%) UK said in a tweet it currently had no plans to restock the merchandise. This decision by the company has fueled the market for counterfeit jerseys. Most sales came from the Nigerian diaspora, soccer fans who’ve adopted the country as their World Cup team.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) entered into a three and half year partnership with Nike to make the kits back in 2015. The deal was worth $3.75 million and came with a $500,000 bonus if the “Super Eagles” qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, according to Goal.com. The NFF complained about how counterfeiters can potentially ruin such lucrative deals.

If you missed out on getting a kit like many folks out there, Nike plans to put out one more item. The sportswear giant is set to release the “Nigeria Stadium Tech Hip Pack,” with a similar black and green floral all-over print pattern later this month.

Situational Awareness: Nearly half of Nigeria’s population of 196 million people live in poverty, according to the World Poverty Clock agency. The minimum wage in the country is around $50 per month. This means there aren’t a lot of people with a disposable income to splash on luxury items such as soccer kits, even in a country that loves the sport as much as Nigeria.

CBx Vibe: Icon” Jaden Smith

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