Sports Direct enters Africa with first stores in Kenya

Frasers Group-owned Sports Direct has entered the African market with the opening of two stores in Nairobi, Kenya, marking another step in the parent company's international expansion.

The stores, located at Sarit Centre and Galleria Mall, cover 930 and 725 square metres, respectively. They stock international sportswear brands including Nike, adidas, Under Armour, Puma, New Balance and ASICS, alongside Frasers-owned labels such as Everlast, Slazenger and USA Pro.

Both locations feature Sports Direct’s specialist running, football and outdoor concepts, combining dedicated product ranges with digital tools and customer advice. The expansion is being driven through Frasers' strategic partnership with sports distributor and retailer Hudson Group, which operates across Africa and Southern Europe.

Hudson's chief executive officer Chris Muscat said: "Through these openings we have changed the landscape of sports retail in Nairobi, offering a large format dedicated sports retail experience that gives the Kenyan customers access to world-class sports brands combining leading sports brands as well as more accessible and affordable offerings.

"This unique proposition in Kenya’s sports retail sector was made possible through Hudson’s extensive experience in the region and Frasers’ ambitions to bring large format retailing to Africa in the sporting goods sector."

The openings form part of Frasers’ wider mission to establish Sports Direct as a leading international sports retailer as part of its Elevation Strategy. Recent expansion plans include entry into Finland, partnerships to develop the brand across Australia and New Zealand, and agreements covering Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East and North Africa.