Accent Group has confirmed that the first Sports Direct store in Australia will open in Fountain Gate, Victoria in November this year.
The fashion and footwear group – which manages 30 brands across AU/NZ, such as Hoka, Platypus and Hype DC – added that at least four stores, including an online website, will open in FY26.
This forms part of its overall rollout strategy after signing a 10-year deal with Frasers Group in the United Kingdom – the company that owns Sports Direct. Accent plans to open at least 50 Sports Direct stores over the next six years, with an opportunity for 100-plus Sports Direct stores in the longer term.
As part of the initial rollout, Accent Group expects to incur various costs associated with the establishment and growth of Sports Direct ahead of the sales from the new stores, including team, distribution, marketing and other costs.
In a prior article by Ragtrader, Accent Group CEO Daniel Agostinelli confirmed the group will establish a new distribution centre in Melbourne to bolster demand, expected to be around 20,000 square metres.
Sports Direct’s new online site is set to go live in November as well.
Accent Group chairman David Gordon said he and the team are excited about the significant growth opportunity presented by the launch of Sports Direct in ANZ.
“We are focused on executing this key strategic initiative with discipline and ambition,” he said. “Our partnership with Frasers Group is an important asset in this journey, bringing global retail expertise and brand strength to support the long-term success of the rollout.”