Sunderland AFC are preparing for life back in the Premier League by announcing W88 will be the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2025/26 season.
Announced on June 27, the online sports betting and casino operator’s logo will be across the front of Sunderland’s home and away kits for next season, and will also become the club’s official Asian betting partner.
Sunderland Chief Commercial Officer, Ashley Peden, said the sponsorship agreement as the “largest in the club’s history” and is the start of a broader commercial push as the Wearside club will look to leverage the global reach of the Premier League to secure more lucrative commercial ventures.
“We are delighted to be partnering with W88, who possess a proven track record of establishing successful partnerships with elite sporting organisations, including Premier League Football clubs,” said Peden.
“The agreement represents the largest commercial deal in the club’s history, and it will contribute significantly towards enabling the club to compete in the Premier League.”
W88 is a familiar face to Premier League audiences, having partnered with teams such as Aston Villa, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Wolves in the past.
The company will also aim to leverage the global exposure the Premier League has to market and cater to various markets its sports betting and casino offerings, as well as enhance its visibility.
A W88 Spokesperson said: “It’s an incredible honour for all of us at W88 to be partnering with Sunderland AFC, a club with such a storied history throughout the last 150 years.
“Following an incredible return to the Premier League, we see SAFC as the perfect partner to activate within our overseas target markets, and we can’t wait to be collaborating with them ahead of what promises to be another exciting season on Wearside.”
Last chance revenue generator
While not confirmed by Sunderland, the front-of-shirt agreement will almost certainly last for one season as the Premier League is set to introduce a ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships for its clubs at the start of the 2026/27 season.
This means if Sunderland remain in the league next season, W88 will be unable to retain its front-of-shirt exposure. It could, however, sponsor the club’s shirt sleeve as gambling companies are able to do this under the new rules.
Gambling companies have long been a staple partner for Premier League clubs throughout decades as they often payout significant revenue, particularly for mid-to-lower league clubs.
The front-of-shirt ban next season will become the last chance for these clubs to cash-in before it is introduced, which leaves a void to be filled by another industry to take over from the gambling industry.
