Decathlon and Céraclès Coopérative, formerly Groupe Sport 2000 France, have signed a letter of intent for Decathlon to acquire a 50% holding in SAS Sport 2000 France.
According to a translated version of the press statement, the proposed deal is confined to French operations.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Under the proposed arrangement, the two retailers are exploring how to leverage the complementarity of their store networks, product ranges, and specialist expertise to provide a service centred on advice and local relevance.
In a statement posted on LinkedIn, Céraclès Coopérative said: “This approach is based on a simple but very strong conviction: our two ecosystems have complementarities that can contribute to better serving athletes, all levels combined, and to strengthening proximity with customers, clubs and territories.”
Both companies said discussions are ongoing and subject to regulatory clearance, with financial terms not disclosed.
In an interview, Decathlon Europe chief business officer Jérémy Angelard told Reuters: “We have to continue to grow and to improve our footprint on products but also on services, because that’s a huge part of the sports market that we are touching, but not at the speed that we want.”
Angelard added Céraclès-operated Sport 2000 stores would keep their franchise-based independence while the partnership would give Decathlon a foothold in ski rental and the ability to stock its products across the retailer’s outlets in the French Alps and Pyrenees.
Angelard noted that mountain sports—covering snowsports and hiking equipment—account for around a quarter of Decathlon’s revenue in France, even though the company runs just five stores in mountain areas against Sport 2000’s 190.
The agreement would also open access to Céraclès’ other retail brands, including Ekosport-Rent, Espace Montagne, Mondovélo, S2 Sneakers Specialist, Urban Soccer, and WAS We Are Select.
A multi-sport retail cooperative established in 1966, Céraclès Coopérative operates 735 stores across its various banners as of 2025.
Completion of the deal depends on consultation with employee representative bodies and approval from regulatory authorities.
“Decathlon to acquire 50% of Sport 2000 France” was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand.
