Givova
Italian sportswear and sporting-goods brand based in Scafati, Campania.
Last updated August 31, 2026
Overview
Givova is an Italian sportswear and sporting-goods company headquartered in Scafati, in the Campania region. Founded on 22 May 2008 by Giovanni Acanfora, the brand developed around team apparel and equipment, with association football as its principal sporting focus. Its product scope extends beyond football kits to include footballs, training garments, sportswear for other disciplines, casual clothing, and accessories. The brand operates in a market dominated by large multinational sportswear companies, but its business model is oriented strongly toward teamwear and institutional or club supply. This makes uniforms, coordinated apparel collections, and sporting equipment central to its identity. Givova's football-related range includes match and training clothing, while its broader assortment serves athletes and teams participating in multiple sports. The company also markets more general leisurewear, allowing the brand to reach customers outside formal competition and training environments. Givova received international attention during the 2018 FIFA World Cup because of the circumstances surrounding Iran's team apparel. Reporting by The New York Times explained that international sanctions affecting Iran restricted access to some major sportswear suppliers and limited the team's available options. Givova was among the brands whose products were not subject to the same restrictions, and the Iranian team consequently used Givova sportswear during the tournament. The episode illustrated how sanctions and international trade rules can influence the equipment choices of national teams, while also giving the relatively young Italian brand visibility well beyond its normal teamwear market. Publicly available reference material identifies Givova as an Italian manufacturing company and describes its principal location, founding date, founder, product categories, and role in the 2018 Iran World Cup apparel story. It does not provide reliable information sufficient to document a detailed ownership structure, executive roster, financial performance, public listing, official website URL, or a complete international distribution map. Those fields are therefore left unreported rather than inferred.
History
Givova was established on 22 May 2008 in Italy by Giovanni Acanfora. The company is based in Scafati, Campania, and developed as a manufacturer and marketer of sports clothing and equipment. From its early positioning, the brand concentrated particularly on association football, a category in which team uniforms, training apparel, and equipment create recurring demand from clubs and organized teams. Rather than being described solely as a fashion label, Givova is presented as a sports manufacturing company with a product portfolio spanning apparel and equipment. Its football-related products include kit uniforms and footballs, while the company also supplies sportswear connected with other sporting activities. The range is complemented by casual clothing and accessories, broadening the brand beyond competitive sports and making it relevant to everyday athletic and leisure use. The company's most prominent documented international exposure came in 2018. During preparations for the FIFA World Cup in Russia, Iran's national football team faced restrictions linked to international sanctions. According to reporting cited in the brand's reference material, those restrictions prevented or complicated access to some major global sportswear suppliers. The Iranian team therefore used sportswear from brands, including Givova, whose products were available under the applicable restrictions. The incident brought Givova into global media coverage and demonstrated the practical effect that sanctions can have on national-team procurement and sports sponsorship arrangements. The available reference material does not establish a detailed chronology of later corporate developments, acquisitions, ownership changes, public-market activity, executive appointments, financial results, or formal advertising campaigns. It also does not provide enough information to describe specific product generations or named collections with confidence. Givova's documented history is therefore best characterized by its 2008 founding, its development as an Italian football-centered sportswear manufacturer, its expansion into multi-sport and casual categories, and its international visibility through the 2018 Iran World Cup apparel episode.
- 2018International attention through Iran's World Cup apparel
Givova sportswear was used by Iran's national football team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup after sanctions-related restrictions limited the team's access to some major sportswear suppliers.
- 2008Givova founded in Campania
Giovanni Acanfora founded Givova on 22 May 2008. The company was established in Scafati, Campania, Italy, as a sportswear and sporting-goods manufacturer.
Products and positioning
Accessible, team-oriented sportswear with a strong association-football focus and a broader multi-sport and casualwear range.
Football kit uniformsAssociation football apparel
Givova's core documented product area is association-football teamwear. Kit uniforms are designed for organized teams and include the coordinated apparel used in match settings. This category places the brand in the club, federation, and team-supply segment rather than limiting it to individual athletic clothing.
Football equipmentFootball equipment
The company produces footballs and other football-related equipment. These products complement its apparel business and support its positioning as a broader football supplier rather than a clothing-only label.
Multi-sport sportswearMulti-sport apparel
Givova also covers sports beyond association football, offering sportswear intended for athletes and teams in other disciplines. The available reference does not identify a complete list of sports or named collections.
Casual wear and accessoriesCasual apparel and accessories
In addition to performance-oriented products, Givova markets casual clothing and accessories. This broadens the brand's use cases from formal competition and training to everyday leisure and sports-inspired wear.
Flagship businesses
- Team football kits
- Football training apparel
- Football equipment
- Multi-sport teamwear
- Association-football kit uniforms
- Football equipment and footballs
- Sportswear collections for training and competition
Brand decisions
- 2018Supply of sportswear to Iran for the 2018 World CupOther
International sanctions affecting Iran restricted the Iranian national football team's access to some major sportswear brands before the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
What changed. Givova supplied or provided sportswear used by Iran's national football team during the tournament, as its products were among the options available under the relevant restrictions.
Aftermath. The arrangement generated international media attention for Givova and highlighted the relationship between sanctions, sportswear supply, and national-team equipment choices.
Leadership
| Name | Title | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Giovanni Acanfora | Founder | 2008– |
Recent events
- 2018Givova sportswear used by Iran at the 2018 FIFA World Cup amid sanctions-related supply restrictions
International reporting highlighted that sanctions affecting Iran restricted the Iranian national football team's access to some major sportswear brands. Givova was among the suppliers whose products remained available under the circumstances, and the team used Givova apparel during the tournament.
RegulationOther - 2018Givova sportswear becomes associated with Iran's 2018 World Cup kit restrictions
International reporting examined how sanctions affecting Iran restricted the country's access to some major sportswear brands before the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Givova was identified as a brand whose sportswear could be used by the Iranian team under the circumstances described in the report, bringing the Italian company broader international attention.
Other
Sources
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