As 2026 kicks off, there are no shortage of footwear retailers and brands that are heading into the new year with ambitious store expansion plans. From monobranded locations to sporting goods retailers, here are some of the store openings slated for 2026. More from WWD Academy Sports + Outdoors On the company’s third quarter 2025 conference call in December, Academy Sports + Outdoors chief executive officer Steve Lawrence told analysts that the company plans to open up an additional 20 to 25 stores in ...