Premier League clubs are replacing gambling front-of-shirt sponsors with fintech and technology firms ahead of a 2026 ban.

Premier League clubs are transitioning to a new group of commercial partners, including sovereign investors and fintech firms, as they prepare to phase out gambling sponsors on the front of their soccer kits. A new report from Nielsen indicates that the "Betting Era" is ending, with software conglomerates and technology companies increasingly filling the sponsorship void.

The shift in sponsorship

In 2023, Premier League clubs reached a collective agreement to remove gambling logos from the front of their jerseys, a policy set to take effect starting with the 2026-27 season. Nielsen notes that this change is fundamentally rewriting the commercial landscape that defined the previous decade. Examples of this shift include Crystal Palace’s partnership with the AI firm Temporal, Aston Villa’s deal with Visit Rwanda, and Everton’s agreement with the financial services company CMC Markets. According to Andy Milnes, Nielsen’s market lead for sports in Britain and Ireland, challenger organizations in the fintech and AI sectors are utilizing these sponsorships to establish global credibility.

Future outlook and regulations

While the current Premier League ban is limited to front-of-shirt branding, it does not apply to shirt sleeves or training kits. However, British authorities are considering additional regulations to restrict unlicensed gambling companies from sponsoring sports teams entirely. Nielsen anticipates a "Tech Gold Rush" in the coming years, predicting that software infrastructure firms will become the dominant category for front-of-shirt sponsorships by 2028.