FRANKFURT Oct 9 The Sportswear firm Adidas said on Tuesday It had acquired the rights to be an official sponsor of the 1998 soccer World Cup In France and also acquired global licensing rights for the event reports Reuter

Adidas, famous for its three stripe logo, said the deal made it the first worldwide sportswear maker to obtain exclusive rights to the World Cup.

Adidas would not say how much it paid for the rights to FIFA World soccer's governing iKxiy. or to Japan s Sony Corp whic h has the sole global World Cup merchandising rights.

But similar four year rights lor the Atlanta Olympics and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. Japan, cost each global sponsor about 40 million dol-

The deal marks the return of Adidas Into the ring as a global sportswear maker against US rivals Nike Inc and Reebok, who have been trying to make inroads into Adidas's lucrative European markets and also into soccer.

Tills Is one sign that Adidas is back in the world market." said Adidas spokesman Peter Csandal

“It is a big honour for us to be a sponsor because we have a long history In soccer.' Csandai said.

Adidas said the first licensed products related to the soccer event would be launched in France a few months before the December holiday season.

Adidas will have the global rights to use the World-cup logo on its products, particularly on shirts, bails and other sportswear items.'"