Benjamin Michel, pictured, is the head of the Sterpenich Decathlon store Nader Ghavami

Benjamin Michel, pictured, is the head of the Sterpenich Decathlon store Nader Ghavami

The shop, which has some 1,100 stores in 50 countries, is reportedly actively looking for land to construct or an existing building in the downtown area of the capital where it would open a shop by the end of 2019 or early 2020.

According to Paperjam, Luxembourgers make up 60% of customers at Decathlon’s Sterpenich shop, which opened a stone’s throw from the Belgian border with Luxembourg around three-and-a-half years ago.

The move reportedly comes as the brand is overwhelmed by demand from customers, particularly in peak times as cross-border residents return home, but also on Saturdays. Before the new facility opens, the Sterpenich store will start offering free, 24-hour delivery for people living outside of Belgium. This service is already available to Belgian residents.

After Decathlon opens its first shop in Luxembourg City, the chain plans to launch further stores in the grand duchy, with one expected to be a similar size to that in Sterpenich, around 3,500m2.

The Decathlon turnover in Belgium reached €440m in 2017, up from €404 m in 2016.