Today the world of road running witnessed a seismic shift in the sport's commercial and competitive landscape.

Beijing time, January 5, 2026 — according to official sources, the most influential professional team in the global elite long-distance scene — the former "NN Running Team" (NN running team) — has officially been renamed dsm-firmenich Running Team. This rebranding marks the Dutch multinational dsm-firmenich formally replacing NN Group as the new title sponsor of the powerhouse squad.

For countless runners who witnessed the glory of the "Eliud Kipchoge era", this is not merely a change of name — it is an epilogue to nearly a decade of legendary history and the opening of a new chapter.

Since its founding in 2017, NN Running Team has rapidly emerged as a core force in global long-distance running. Over the past nearly ten years, this squad clad in orange and white has filled the podiums at major marathons, redefining the operating model of professional marathon racing.

However, all good things must come to an end. NN Group confirmed last month that it will officially end its role as the team's title sponsor at the end of 2025. But this does not mean a complete farewell — from January 1, 2026, NN Group will transition to the team's “Founding Partner,” continuing to support the team behind the scenes.

At the same time, another major partner of the team, INEOS, has also ended its partnership with the team. The changes in the roles of these two corporate giants have cleared the way for new sponsors to come on board and signal a comprehensive restructuring of the team's commercial setup.

Taking over from NN Group as the new financial backer of this legendary running team is the corporate giant dsm-firmenich (Chinese name: 帝斯曼-芬美意 )

For the average runner the name may be somewhat unfamiliar, but in the global nutrition, health and biotech sectors it is undeniably a giant. The company was formed in 2023 through the merger of the Dutch Royal DSM and the Swiss Firmenich.

Notably, dsm-firmenich is not a newcomer to endurance sports. Before moving into the running world, the company had long been involved in professional cycling (Pro Cycling). They were a major supporter of WorldTour-level teams and even acted as a title sponsor, only gradually stepping back from team naming rights in 2025.

This time, shifting from "two wheels" to "two legs", dsm-firmenich has completely shifted its professional sports sponsorship focus to the marathon and long-distance running arenas.

dsm-firmenich Choosing to take on this running group wasn't a whim, but was driven by the strong alignment between its brand positioning and the characteristics of long-distance running.

1. Deep integration of nutrition and applied science 

dsm-firmenich dsm-firmenich's brand core revolves around "nutrition, health and applied science". This aligns with the direction of modern elite marathon development. In the era led by Eliud Kipchoge, the NN Running Team has established a comprehensive system based on scientific training, refined nutritional fueling, and medical rehabilitation. dsm-firmenich dsm-firmenich's addition is expected to turn its deep foundation in nutritional science into a physical advantage for athletes on the course.

2. Pursuing "Marginal Gains" (Marginal Gains) 

Reports point out that the company's move into the elite running scene follows a clear commercial logic: seeking global exposure, aligning with individual star athletes, and playing a role in a sport that still values "marginal gains". As top competitive levels draw ever closer, minute nutritional interventions or scientific inputs can determine who takes the title, and this is exactly where dsm-firmenichFirmenich specializes.

On the competitive front that fans and runners care about most, the renaming has been described as "evolutionary rather than disruptive".

Although the team name and sponsors have undergone major changes, the squad's core "software" will remain the same.

• Athlete lineup: The top faces we know will remain with the team.
  
  

• Training camps:The legendary training bases located in Kaptagat, Kenya, and other locations will continue to operate.
  
  
• Support structure:The centralized logistics and coaching support system that defined the original NN Running Team's success will be fully retained under the new brand.

This means that, although the team will adopt a new name and may even wear a new kit design in the future, its core as a "champion factory" remains unchanged.

On and off the course: NN hasn't gone away

Although NN has withdrawn from club title sponsorships, it hasn't completely exited the road running market.

It has been confirmed that Nationale-Nederlanden (NN) will continue to serve asNN Marathon Rotterdam title sponsor at least through 2028, while maintaining a long-term partnership withNN CPC Loop.

This means that on the European racing scene in the coming years we may see the "NN" logo less often on elite athletes' chests, but NN will remain a prominent presence on finish arches, roadside billboards and in mass-event organization. Especially within the Dutch domestic race ecosystem, NN continues to be a cornerstone sponsor.

The original rise of NN Running Team completely reshaped the livelihoods and competitive condition of elite distance runners. It transformed what had been scattered individual struggles into a highly professional, structured team approach, bringing unprecedented professionalism to the sport.

Now, with dsm-firmenich stepping in, this most glorious chapter in modern marathon history has come to a close. Yet under a new sponsor with deep roots in endurance sport investment and decisive authority in nutritional science, the team has not slowed its pace.

From professional cycling to professional marathon, can dsm-firmenich's crossover bring new technological breakthroughs to distance running in the "post-Eliud Kipchoge era"? Can this renamed powerhouse continue its dominance?