| Study Period | 2019 - 2030 |
| Base Year For Estimation | 2024 |
| Forecast Data Period | 2025 - 2030 |
| Historical Data Period | 2019 - 2023 |
| CAGR | 5.32 % |
| Market Concentration | Low |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
MEA Athletic Footwear Market Analysis
The Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.32% during the forecast period.
Increased participation in outdoor sports is supported by increased disposable income and improved health awareness is identified as the key market driver in the Middle East and Africa. Further, rapid urbanization allows access to renowned sports clubs and fitness centers, enabling consumer spending on athleisure accessories including footwear. For instance, the report published by the world bank in May 2021, reveals that the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), is already 64% urbanized. The region also holds a significant number of multi-brand and single-brand stores featuring a wide assortment of athletic footwear from global companies, which is the primary attraction of international tourists vising the countries such as Saudi Arabia and UAE. Thus, expanding cross-border tourism in cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Bahrain is driving the sales of athletic footwear in the region.
Moreover, key authorities of certain countries are actively promoting sports participation to achieve the nation's health and wellness goals, which is expected to offer lucrative growth opportunities for athletic footwear brands during the forecast period. For instance, the Government of Saudi Arabia is encouraging foreign investors to purchase the whole ownership of clubs, academies, and centers for 27 of the country's most popular sports. The Ministry of Sport introduced NAFES in 2021, a new online licensing platform intended to promote foreign cooperation and investment in the Kingdom, one of the world's most quickly expanding sports marketplaces.
MEA Athletic Footwear Market Trends
Rising Participation in Sports and Fitness
Growing gym and sports club memberships with the increased public awareness about the advantages of physical exercise, the demand for athleisure products such as footwear is anticipated to rise in the Middle East and Africa during the projected period. For instance, according to the General Authority for Statistics (GaStat), in 2021, 48.2% of the population in Saudi Arabia engaged in at least 30 minutes of physical and sports activity every week. Also, the data revealed that 29.7% of the resident population in Saudi Arabia practiced physical activity for at least 150 minutes per week in 2021, compared to 20% in 2019. As a result, multinational corporations are expanding their retail presence in the country to gain and maintain market dominance. For instance, in September 2020, HRX, India's first domestic fitness brand, started its online retail operations in the United Arab Emirates. Noon.com and Namshi.com, two of the leading fashion and leisure e-commerce websites in the region, have partnered with HRX to sell its athleisure range including athletic footwear. Thus, expanding the distribution networks of key brands and increasing the adoption of active lifestyles by the region's population is augmenting athletic footwear sales in the Middle East and Africa.
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United Arab Emirates is one of the Fastest Growing Market
Some of the factors which make the United Arab Emirates a favorable market for athletic footwear manufacturers are tourism in the country, Government initiatives and policies in the sports sector, huge investments in retail space, and the expansion of fashion e-commerce. The country's e-commerce is developing, and it is projected that the athletic footwear industry will witness a considerable increase in sales through online channels over the forecast period. According to an International Trade Administration report issued in July 2022, the UAE is the eCommerce leader among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, with the market increasing by 53% in 2020 to USD 3.9 billion in eCommerce sales, accounting for 10% of overall retail sales.
The United Arab Emirates attracts tourists from all over the world, and each year there is an increase in the number of tourists in the country. This, in turn, is anticipated to accelerate the market growth as most tourists prefer the purchase of fashion and lifestyle accessories in the country due to the wide access to global brands through retail chains and shopping malls. According to the most current statistics from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, 7.12 million international tourists visited Dubai in the first six months of 2022. This marks a more than 182 percent growth over the same time in 2021.
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MEA Athletic Footwear Industry Overview
The Athletic footwear market in the Middle East and Africa is highly competitive with many regional and international competitors present in the region. Some of the prominent players in the market are Nike Inc., Adidas AG, Under Armour Inc., New Balance Athletics Inc., Puma SE, and Skechers U.S.A., Inc., among others. Some of the strategies adopted by major players to increase their market share are partnering with resellers, investments in technologies, and increasing social media marketing by partnering with regional celebrities. For instance, in October 2020, Koora and Adidas partnered to bring an online football competition to connect and engage with the football audience during the lockdown. This helped Adidas achieve engagement across social media in UAE and KSA.
In the medium term, it is expected that the major players will compete based on sustainable product launches, investment in technologies such as Virtual reality, and expanding online presence.
MEA Athletic Footwear Market Leaders
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Nike Inc.
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Adidas AG
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Under Armour Inc.
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Puma SE
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The North Face
- *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
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MEA Athletic Footwear Market News
- In July 2021, Sports brand Adidas opened its first store dedicated to women consumers at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. The store features collections across sports and lifestyles, catering to shoppers of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds, and includes exclusive launches.
- In June 2021, Adidas South Africa's announced the launch of its 1000-square meters Flagship store in Sandton City.
- In April 2021, Adidas Originals and Arwa Al Banawi have come together to launch a carefully considered take on the iconic Forum silhouette, with a newly designed sneaker that was launched for sale virtually on early access exclusively from AlUlain Saudi Arabia.
MEA Athletic Footwear Industry Segmentation
Footwear specifically designed for fitness and sporting activities is called athletic footwear. It can be worn for sports, exercising, or recreational activities such as trekking, or running. The Middle East and Africa athletic footwear market is segmented by product type, end-user, distribution channel, and geography. By product type, the market is segmented into running shoes, sports shoes, trekking/hiking shoes, and other product types. By end user, the market is segmented into men, women, and children. In terms of distribution channels, the market is segmented into sports and athletic goods stores, supermarkets/hypermarkets, online retail stores, and other distribution channels. The study also covers the country-level analysis of countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, the Rest of the Middle East, and Africa. For each segment, the market sizing and forecasts have been done based on value (in USD million).
| By Product Type | Running Shoes |
| Sports Shoes | |
| Trekking/Hiking Shoes | |
| Other Product Types | |
| By End User | Men |
| Women | |
| Children | |
| By Distibution Channel | Sports and Athletic Goods Stores |
| Supermarkets/Hypermarkets | |
| Online Retail Stores | |
| Other Distribution Channels | |
| By Geography | Saudi Arabia |
| United Arab Emirates | |
| South Africa | |
| Rest of Middle-East and Africa |
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MEA Athletic Footwear Market Research FAQs
What is the current Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Market size?
The Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Market is projected to register a CAGR of 5.32% during the forecast period (2025-2030)
Who are the key players in Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Market?
Nike Inc., Adidas AG, Under Armour Inc., Puma SE and The North Face are the major companies operating in the Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Market.
What years does this Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Market cover?
The report covers the Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Market historical market size for years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The report also forecasts the Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Market size for years: 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030.
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Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear Industry Report
Statistics for the 2025 Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear market share, size and revenue growth rate, created by Mordor Intelligence™ Industry Reports. Middle East and Africa Athletic Footwear analysis includes a market forecast outlook for 2025 to 2030 and historical overview. Get a sample of this industry analysis as a free report PDF download.
