Welcome to Insider Sport‘s latest edition of the Partnership Playbook, where we bring you the details on some of the latests sports partnerships and sponsorships.
This week’s sponsorship highlights include Arsenal naming Guinness as their new global club partner, Oatly deepening its creative alliance with EF Pro Cycling through a rebellious ‘biker gang’ campaign, and Burnley FC teaming up with X to launch the UK’s first ever ‘X Originals’ football series.
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Arsenal and Guinness announce multi-year global partnership
Arsenal have signed a new global deal with Guinness, making the iconic stout an official club partner from the 2025/26 season. The agreement will see Guinness and Guinness 0.0 integrated into matchday experiences at both men’s and women’s games at the Emirates Stadium, as well as across international fan hubs.
Juliet Slot, Arsenal’s Chief Commercial Officer said: “Our matches are about rituals, traditions and a feeling of belonging. We’re excited to be putting Guinness at the heart of new rituals for our supporters across this season and beyond.”
The partnership launched during Arsenal’s pre-season tour stop in Singapore, with over 300 fans celebrating at a Guinness-hosted event. Future activations are planned in over 80 countries, designed to deepen fan engagement and create new rituals around matchdays.
Guinness will also promote responsible drinking at the Emirates as part of its broader role as Official Responsible Drinking Partner of the Premier League.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Oatly and EF Pro Cycling give plant-based performance a rebellious new edge
Oatly has deepened its creative collaboration with EF Pro Cycling as the team’s Official Performance Partner, continuing its mission to fuel elite cyclists with oat-based nutrition while rebranding the sport’s image through a bold cultural lens. The standout activation, “EF Pro Bikers,” flips the narrative by presenting pro cyclists as a plant-powered biker gang—complete with denim vests, tattoos, and custom swag—blending endurance sport with counterculture cool.
At major races like La Vuelta and the Tour de France, Oatly has delivered oat-based refreshments from mobile fan hubs, while also organising Community Coffee Rides across Europe and the US with co-sponsor Rapha. These rides offer plant-based product sampling, fan experiences, and merchandise giveaways.
The partnership puts fan engagement and performance nutrition at its core, powered by a strong roster of riders including Alison Jackson, Jardi van der Lee, and Alastair MacKellar, and supported by team chef Chris Woodward’s oat-powered recipes.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.
Konami renews FIFAe World Cup platform deal through 2026
Konami has extended its agreement with FIFA to keep its eFootball title as the official platform for the FIFAe World Cup through 2026. The deal includes both console and mobile formats, with the 2025 and 2026 finals expected to expand in scale and participation, starting with this December’s event in Saudi Arabia.
The renewed partnership was announced at the eFootball World Championship in Tokyo, celebrating 30 years of Konami’s football gaming franchise. More than 14 million players entered the 2024 qualifiers, with record-breaking peak viewership of over 400,000 for the console finals.
FIFA will expand the competitive structure by increasing the number of participating nations and enhancing local and regional events, supported by Fifpro to grow licensed club and player representation. Saudi Arabia’s hosting aligns with its broader ambitions in esports and international sport.
Qualification details for the 2025 edition are expected to follow shortly.
Canterbury unveils Ireland’s 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup jersey
Canterbury of New Zealand has launched the official 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup jersey for Ireland, ahead of the tournament opener against Japan on 24 August.
The kit, revealed under the campaign ‘Ireland’s Calling’, features a cadmium green home strip with a traditional grandad collar and a white alternate with rose-toned accents. Set to be available from July 25, the jersey will be showcased at a launch event at Lansdowne FC and promoted via a 12-metre touring jersey travelling across Irish rugby clubs and Intersport Elverys stores.
Fans can sign the jersey or send digital messages of support. The campaign builds on recent momentum in Irish women’s rugby and aims to unite fans behind the squad ahead of their journey to England.
READ MORE ABOUT THE NEW KIT HERE.
Mr Vegas becomes Sheffield Wednesday’s new front-of-shirt sponsor
Sheffield Wednesday has named Mr Vegas as its principal front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2025/26 season. The online casino brand, operated by Immense Group, expands its existing relationship with the club, having previously featured on the back of players’ shirts and supported fan-facing activations.
Mr Vegas, licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, positions itself as a responsible and regulated operator. The company plans to build on past successes, including hospitality giveaways and matchday competitions, with more promotional activity planned for fans at Hillsborough this season.
Sheffield Wednesday emphasised that any marketing will adhere to its commitment to safe gambling practices. Replica shirts won’t feature the Mr Vegas logo at launch but fans will have the option to apply it later.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
BYD becomes Global Automotive Partner of Inter Milan
Electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has signed a three-year strategic partnership with FC Internazionale Milano, becoming the Serie A club’s Global Automotive Partner. The deal sees BYD supply around 70 vehicles for use by Inter’s top management, coaching staff, and first-team players.
The partnership will also include fan-focused activations such as limited-edition vehicle sales, rental offers, and a customised BYD SEALION 7 inspired by Inter’s colours. It marks BYD’s first club-level sponsorship in football, complementing its existing deals with UEFA EURO 2024 and the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Inter and BYD will also collaborate on international content and marketing campaigns, particularly targeting key markets in China and South America. The agreement includes promotion of BYD’s premium DENZA brand, set to launch in Europe later this year.
READ MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP HERE.
Burnley FC partners with X to launch first UK ‘X Originals’ series
Burnley FC has announced a groundbreaking, multi-year partnership with X (formerly Twitter), becoming the social media platform’s first-ever Strategic Digital Platform Partner in UK football. The deal includes the launch of X Originals: Burnley FC, a behind-the-scenes content series capturing the club’s 2025/26 Premier League season.
The 20-episode series will feature players, staff and behind-the-scenes moments at Turf Moor and will be distributed exclusively via X. The collaboration will also include live streaming, short-form content amplification, and branded digital activations aimed at boosting global fan engagement.
“Community is at the heart of everything that we do, so partnering with X enables us to expand that community even further and bring our passionate fanbase closer together, while growing our visibility with new digital audiences,” said lan Pace, Burnley FC Chairman.
“This partnership is part of our long-term plan as the Club moves forward with fan engagement and content at its very core. We have lots of exciting plans together and look forward to sharing more details in the future.”
The partnership forms part of X’s wider UK strategy to support prominent voices in sport, tech and entertainment, and offers Burnley direct platform support and monetisation tools.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Garmin expands Southampton FC deal to become sleeve sponsor
Southampton FC has extended its partnership with Garmin, naming the fitness tech brand as the Official Sleeve Sponsor for the Men’s First Team for the 2025/26 season. The expanded agreement builds on last season’s collaboration, which included Garmin as back-of-shirt sponsor during the EFL Cup and a co-launch of Garmin’s flagship UK store in Southampton.
As part of the partnership, Garmin will provide performance technology—such as its fēnix® 8 smartwatches—for use by the club’s coaches and Sports Science department. Fans will also be able to add the Garmin logo to official shirts at select retail locations.
“Garmin’s innovation and performance-driven approach aligns perfectly with our values at Southampton, and this next chapter in our relationship will bring even more benefits to our players, staff, and fans,” says Greg Baker, Southampton FC’s Chief Revenue Officer. “From enhancing our training capabilities with cutting-edge technology to deepening engagement across the club, this collaboration continues to go from strength to strength.”
Garmin’s European HQ is based in Southampton, and the company sees the partnership as a way to promote health, fitness, and community values in the local area.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Breakout surf star Hughie Vaughan signs with Ritual Vision
Eighteen-year-old Australian surfer Hughie Vaughan — best known for landing the first-ever one-handed backflip at Swatch Nines — has joined Ritual Vision as his new eyewear sponsor. The fast-rising brand, founded by elite surfers including Mikey Wright, Noa Deane and Harry Bryant, adds Vaughan to a roster of boundary-pushing freesurfers.
The signing comes as Vaughan’s viral moment catapulted him into global surf culture prominence, with widespread media coverage and industry acclaim. His raw energy and high-risk style made him a natural fit for Ritual Vision, which is preparing to launch its debut film Ritualistic Tendencies in December, directed by Wade Carroll.
Vaughan’s future in the sport looks as bright as his new shades.
WATCH MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP HERE:
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