GERMANY; SWEDEN —In a strategic move to consolidate its European presence in the athletic sector, Swedish sportswear and corporate merchandise firm New Wave Group AB has signed a definitive agreement to acquire total ownership of German team sports manufacturer uhlsport GmbH. Scheduled to close on October 1, 2026, pending regulatory merger clearances, the share purchase will integrate the Baden-Württemberg-based enterprise into New Wave Group's Sports & Leisure division. The target company, which generated approximately EUR 67 million in 2025 revenue, will maintain its main operational base in Balingen.
New Wave Group AB is a Gothenburg-headquartered growth company that designs, acquires, and scales brands across the corporate apparel, sports, leisure, and home furnishings sectors, generating SEK 10 billion in revenue in 2025. Its target, uhlsport GmbH, is a long-established German sporting goods developer specializing in equipment, footwear, and apparel for football and handball through its core uhlsport and Kempa brands, operating distribution subsidiaries across France, Spain, and Sweden.
This corporate acquisition addresses ongoing consolidation trends within the European sports equipment and team wear market. By combining uhlsport's specialized product lines-such as goalkeeper equipment, balls, and specialized footwear-with Craft Sportswear's existing European club network of roughly 5,000 teams, the combined entity establishes a broader supply chain framework. The transaction allows both organizations to leverage cross-selling avenues, utilizing New Wave Group's extensive merchandise capabilities alongside uhlsport's established relationships with national federations and professional clubs.
From an investor perspective, the acquisition is expected to remain neutral regarding short-term earnings and liquidity, with operational synergies emerging over time through unified distribution channels, shared logistics, and streamlined international sourcing. Final financial adjustments and audited closing metrics will be published alongside New Wave Group's third-quarter earnings disclosures in November 2026, marking a pivotal step in long-term multi-brand scale strategies within the athletic retail ecosystem.
