After their worst Premier League season, Manchester United land Coca‑Cola and Sokin, with a mystery third deal on the way.
Manchester United has confirmed two new commercial partnerships this week, with a third set to be unveiled shortly.
On August 11, Chief Business Officer David Armstrong told staff the club was close to announcing three new deals. He also revealed his team had secured $95.1m (£70m) in agreements over the past five months.
The first was announced on August 13, naming Coca‑Cola as United’s official carbonated soft drinks partner in the UK and Europe.
“Coca-Cola and Manchester United are two of the world’s most iconic brands, each with a proud history of bringing people together,” said Armstrong.
“We are forming a partnership that will go beyond matchday refreshments at Old Trafford – creating engaging and memorable experiences that connect our fans to the club in fresh and impactful ways.”
The deal, reportedly worth £1m a year, will see Coca‑Cola branding feature across matchdays and fan activations, with products sold at Old Trafford including Coca‑Cola, Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper and their zero‑sugar versions.
The first joint initiative will be a Pop‑Up Pub at United’s opening game of the season against Arsenal. More activations, digital content and community projects are planned.
Fintech agreement with Sokin
Three days after his Carrington address, Armstrong unveiled the second deal, a multi‑year agreement with UK‑based fintech company Sokin, making it United’s official global business payment solutions partner.
Sokin will provide the club with a global payments platform to help improve operations.
“We are delighted to welcome Sokin to the Manchester United family. Their global business payments infrastructure and forward‑thinking approach align perfectly with our commitment to delivering best‑in‑class services and experiences to our fans and partners across the world,” said Armstrong.
While Coca‑Cola focuses on enhancing the fan experience, the Sokin deal highlights the operational and financial side of commercial partnerships. Similar tie‑ups have been announced by clubs like Arsenal and Manchester City.
Who will be the third?
United hopes to reveal the final partnership before this weekend’s Premier League opener.
Speculation increased after Sir Jim Ratcliffe, speaking at Carrington on Monday, name‑checked Coca‑Cola and Apple.
“It stands shoulder to shoulder with Coca-Cola and Apple,” he said of United’s brand.
Apple has been linked with United before, including rumours of a takeover, though nothing materialised. Concerns about potential clashes with main sponsor Qualcomm’s Snapdragon brand are seen as unlikely to block a deal, as exclusivity clauses are usually limited to specific categories.
Off the pitch vs on the pitch
Last season was one to forget for United, the team finished 15th place in the Premier League with just 42 points, their lowest finish and points tally in the Premier League era.
Ownership changes have also drawn scrutiny. Since buying a minority stake, Ratcliffe has moved to cut costs and reduce debt, including redundancies, bonus cuts and cancelling staff Christmas parties. His appointment of Sporting Director Dan Ashworth ended after just five months, despite a lengthy and costly recruitment process.
However, bringing Armstrong from PSG in February is proving more successful, delivering big‑value deals even after one of the club’s worst seasons on record.
September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/
