Sports equipment group, Adidas, said it had benefited from the 1998 soccer World Cup, but added that, in future, only official sponsors should have international commercial rights. Chairman, Mr Robert Louis-Dreyfus, said that the company would delay a decision on whether to sign up as an official sponsor of the World Cup after 2002 until it had further details from soccer's organising body, FIFA, about its future plans.

Mr Louis-Dreyfus expected Adidas and Nike to become the twin giants of their sector, with other companies relegated to second-division status.