Decathlon Targets ₹1,000 Cr Running Sports Biz In 4 Years

Decathlon Sports India, a leading sports goods manufacturer and retailer, is witnessing high double-digit growth in sales and expects its running sports category to generate over ₹1,000 crore in revenue over the next four years, CEO Sankar Chatterjee said on Friday.

Besides, Decathlon India currently operates 132 stores, is targeting 200 stores by 2030, with over half a dozen new outlets coming in the next quarter, he said.

The company recently expanded to the northeast region, with the opening of the first store in Guwahati, Assam. It is deepening its wholesale and reseller network across the region, including Shillong and other cities, he added.

Moreover, the subsidiary of the French sporting goods retailer Decathlon is also closely watching the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and Europe and its potential impact on Indian manufacturing, particularly in the sporting goods sector, Chatterjee said.

“We are really looking at how the FTA is going to impact Indian manufacturing, especially for Decathlon, because quite a lot can be done for Europe,” Chatterjee told PTI.

Footwear is one of the key focus areas for Decathlon as it looks to expand its manufacturing capabilities in India.

“Just to give you a number, 50% of the quantity (footwear) that we sell in our stores this year is Made in India. We have come a long way,” Chatterjee said.

Decathlon Sports India, which reported revenue of ₹4,133.10 crore in FY25, is investing 100 million euros in building and strengthening its manufacturing ecosystem in India.

Chatterjee said the company is making progress on its earlier commitment, with a sharp focus on strengthening its ‘Made-in-India’ manufacturing base.

He said 50% of the quantity sold in Decathlon's Indian stores this year is now Made in India, and the company is also building capability in footwear manufacturing by investing in technology and talent, including product managers and engineers.

On overall financial performance, Chatterjee said the company is currently clocking growth ‘a little higher’ than double digits in the ongoing fiscal.

He said the annual report for the last financial year is expected within a month, and is likely to show growth on the ‘higher side of single digit’, along with a favourable bottom line.

Decathlon on Friday introduced its expert running sub-brand Kiprun in India, as it aims to double its running sports business turnover in the country over the next four years.

"At present, we are in the running segment at a little less than the ₹500 crore mark and we are going to double the size in the next four years," Chatterjee said.

Under its Kiprun brand, Decathlon is introducing 35 new products in the running segment this year, including 17 high-performance running shoes.

According to a report by IMARC Group, the Indian running gear market grew from $2.5 billion in 2025 to $2.7 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach $4.9 billion by 2034.

Kiprun, which caters to beginner, intermediate and elite runners with footwear, apparel and accessories, has already been launched in several other markets globally, he said, adding the segment is targeted to nearly double overall within four to five years given the growing sportivity in the country.

Citing the traction for the sport, Chatterjee said India organised around 2,000 running events in 2025, up from 500-600 in 2018.

Over rising competition in sports retail from players such as Reliance Retail, he said the growing number of entrants reflected the expanding size of the market rather than a threat. On the possibility of a multi-brand retail licence, he said the company remains focused on its own brands ‘as of now’.