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First published 15 September 2026. Updated 17 September: adidas has confirmed the layoffs but disputes Wocult's reporting on their scale. See below.
Adidas has begun large-scale layoffs at its India Tech Hub in Gurgaon, affecting an estimated 350 or more employees out of a workforce of around 700, according to people familiar with the matter.
The layoffs, representing roughly 45 to 50% of the hub's workforce, include software engineers, data scientists and data engineers, the people said.
Employees were informed at a town hall on Tuesday, 15 September. Wocult has not independently verified the number of employees affected, and Adidas has not confirmed the scale of the layoffs.
How the layoffs are structured
Affected employees were divided into two groups, according to the people cited above.
One group received exit letters on 15 September. The second has been asked to stay until 15 December to complete handovers to colleagues at other tech hubs while looking for another role.
Those who do not secure another role by then have been told that 15 December will be their last working day.
Wocult could not confirm the severance, notice pay or redeployment support being offered.
The India Tech Hub
Adidas's Gurgaon office houses its local marketing organisation and one of the company's Global Engineering Tech Hubs.
The company has expanded its broader operations in India in recent years, including opening a Global Business Services centre in Chennai in 2024.
What Adidas has said (Updated 16 September)
Adidas confirmed the cuts in a statement to Wocult but did not confirm their scale. Its full statement is below.
"As part of our ongoing efforts to align our operating model with the evolving needs of the business, we have made the difficult decision to reduce a number of roles within our Technology organization in India. These changes are intended to simplify parts of our organization, strengthen critical capabilities, and position adidas for long-term success in a rapidly evolving business and technology environment.
We are deeply grateful to our colleagues for their many contributions to adidas. We are committed to supporting affected employees with care, respect, and appropriate transition assistance during this time.
India remains a strategically important market for adidas, and our Technology Hub continues to play a critical role in enabling the company's growth, innovation, and digital transformation ambitions."
Adidas did not address the number or types of roles affected, or confirm the scale of the reduction. Wocult had asked, on 15 September, about the number and types of roles, how the process is being carried out and what support is being offered.
What adidas says about the scale (Updated 17 September)
Adidas has confirmed the layoffs but disputes Wocult's reporting on their scale.
Adidas confirmed the job cuts in its first statement to Wocult, describing "the difficult decision to reduce a number of roles within our Technology organization in India." Its subsequent response disputes Wocult's estimate of the scale.
In a later statement, adidas said: "The impact of these changes is less than 20% of our India Technology organization. We continue to invest in strategic capabilities and have several open roles across the organisation. Affected employees are encouraged to explore these opportunities as we build the skills and expertise needed for the future."
Wocult's reporting concerns the Gurgaon Tech Hub specifically. People familiar with the matter have put the hub's workforce at around 700 employees and estimate that around 350 or more are affected. Asked whether around half of the Gurgaon Tech Hub is affected, adidas replied "less than 20%." Asked what the 20% figure is measured against, adidas said its India Technology organisation has "approx. 900+" employees and that the reduction "is only for adidas' tech organisation."
Wocult also asked adidas to clarify whether the "less than 20%" refers specifically to the Gurgaon Tech Hub or to the wider India Technology organisation, which may include technology employees based outside Gurgaon. Wocult also asked whether the "less than 20%" covers employees affected across both phases of the reduction, including those whose last working day is 15 December.
Adidas did not respond to those clarification questions by the time of publication.
Adidas has not provided the number of employees affected, or a separate headcount for the Gurgaon Tech Hub. Wocult stands by its reporting and will update this story if adidas provides further detail.
This story will be updated if Adidas responds.
