The 2026 World Cup semifinals are not just Argentina, Spain, France and Norway.They are Adidas vs. Nike.Two semifinalists are wearing Adidas. Two are wearing Nike. And for Adidas, that means one of the most dependable trends in modern World Cup history is still alive: Since 1986, the brand has had at least one team finish in the top three at every tournament.Adidas has dressed half of the teams to win the World Cup in the past 10 editions.The winners include West Germany in 1990, France in 1998, Spain in 2010, Germany in 2014, and Argentina in 2018. Other brands with title-winning teams in that span include French supplier Le Coq Sportif, British brand Umbro, Nike and Puma.In total, 16 of the 30 teams to finish in the top three since 1986 have worn Adidas. Only Nike (8) and Italian brand Diadora (2) have had multiple World Cup medalists.If you can't see the graphic above, click here to view.Adidas’ dominance is not just about winning with the right teams. It has also had more chances than anyone else. Out of the 320 squads in the World Cup since 1986, 114 have worn Adidas, equal to 35.6% of all teams.In seven of the 10 past tournaments, Adidas has outfitted the most teams, the exceptions being 2006, when Puma dressed 12 teams — beating out Adidas on both companies’ German home soil — and in 2014 and 2022, when Nike dressed the most.Adidas took back the top spot in 2026, however, as 14 of the 48 teams this year wore Adidas. Nike dressed 12 and Puma 11.Nike has outfitted 76 teams since 1986, or around 23.8%. Puma, which has an entangled history with Adidas, has dressed 57 teams, or 17.8%. The highest number outside of the big three is the 14 from Umbro, although just three have worn the brand since 2006.How Adidas, Nike and Puma became biggest kit sponsors in the World CupIf you can't see the graphic above, click here to view.There have been 36 different brands for World Cup teams since 1986. And despite the dominance of the big three, every tournament has had at least seven unique kit providers. This year had 13 — a record since 1986 — although the expanded tournament likely factored into the increased figure.However, despite the increased variety of brands, the business end of the 2026 tournament has primarily been all Adidas, Nike and Puma.Only four other brands’ teams made the knockout stage — Capelli, Umbro, Marathon and Kelme — and none reached the round of 16.That means the last two rounds have been all Adidas, Nike, and Puma.Can Nike end Adidas’ stronghold? Two of the four semifinalists this year are wearing the Beaverton, Oregon brand: France and Norway.However, Nike’s teams will need to get through a couple of Adidas teams, as Argentina and Spain are kitted out in Adidas.Nike may have already scored one major win off the field, with the German national team set to leave Adidas for Nike in 2027 in a breakup between two of Germany’s most prized institutions.But if an Adidas team lifts the World Cup trophy in 2026, the three stripes will still have the final word — at least for now.If you can't see the graphic above, click here to view.Methodology note: Brand data for World Cup teams from Football Kit Archive. Historical semifinal data from the Fjelstul World Cup Database. Knockout round data for the 2026 tournament from FIFA.