The Premier League kicks off this weekend, and with last season’s live matches and BBC Match of the Day highlights attracting 33.9 million UK viewers, club sponsorships offer brands an opportunity for substantial visibility.
But bands are going beyond simply raising their profile through sponsorships. Instead, they are taking a more strategic approach to achieve multiple objectives, from supporting grassroots initiatives to offering fans unique experiences.
| Club | Sponsor | Sponsor Type |
| Tottenham Hotspur | HSBC | Banking Partner |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Kraken | Sleeve Sponsor |
| Tottenham Hotspur | AIA | Front of Shirt Sponsor |
| Liverpool | Standard Chartered | Front of Shirt Sponsor |
| Brighton & Hove | American Express | Stadium Naming Rights |
| Arsenal | Socios.com | Provides Fan Tokens |
| Aston Villa | Trade Nation | Sleeve Sponsor |
| Manchester City | OKX | Cryptocurrency Exchange Partner |
Tottenham Hotspur has emerged as an attractive destination for sponsors, securing partnerships with three financial services companies.
HSBC has sponsored Tottenham Hotspur since 2019, serving as the official banking partner for both the men’s and women’s teams in the UK and Hong Kong – the bank’s two home markets.
As part of the partnership, HSBC has collaborated with the club on fan engagement initiatives, including co-created digital campaigns.
HSBC’s role extends beyond its partnership with the club as it also contributes to the sport-led regeneration of the local Tottenham area. Through the HSBC Stadium Development Scheme, the bank has supported the creation of 3,500 new jobs across a range of industries, building on the three million opportunities generated by the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
Working with the foundation, HSBC also leverages its expertise to enhance lives in the community through education, employment, health and social inclusion programmes.
In 2024, Kraken became the club’s first official crypto and Web3 partner, as well as sleeve sponsor for both the men’s and women’s teams. The partnership focuses on using emerging technologies to expand opportunities and enhance the fan experience.
To activate the partnership, Kraken engaged Tottenham Hotspur fans through exclusive content, fan pop-ups, and behind-the-scenes access to both Kraken and club events. For example, Kraken ran a shirt giveaway, allowing fans to exchange their old Tottenham Hotspur shirts for new ones featuring the Kraken logo on the sleeve ahead of the official release.
Alongside Kraken’s sleeve sponsorship, Hong Kong-based insurer AIA features as Tottenham Hotspur’s front-of-shirt partner. The company first partnered with the club in 2013 as a global principal partner and recently renewed the agreement, extending it through the 2026/27 season.
The partnership supports AIA’s One Billion initiative, which aims to help one billion people live healthier, longer lives by 2030. It promotes this goal through active sports participation, with players featuring in videos offering two-minute workouts, football drills, and tips on nutrition and sleep to encourage fans to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Standard Chartered has also embraced front-of-shirt sponsorship, serving as Liverpool’s principal partner since 2010, when it became only the fifth company to feature on the club’s first-team kit.
The partnership has been used to support a range of the bank’s sustainability and community investment programmes. For example, together they have raised more than £500,000 to tackle avoidable blindness and help young people develop new skills.
American Express has maintained a long-standing sponsorship of Brighton & Hove Albion, which dates back to when the club played in the third tier of English football. In 2011, the company secured the naming rights for the club’s new stadium, now widely known as the Amex.
The stadium sponsorship was soon followed by a partnership with the club’s official charity, the Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation. As a major employer in Brighton, Hove, and the wider Sussex area, American Express bases its partnership on shared values and a commitment to the local community, running programmes to help young people develop essential skills and confidence.
The partnership also provides benefits for American Express card members, including access to the American Express Lounge, with complimentary food and drink, premium match seating, a programme and parking.
Blockchain-based platform Socios.com has partnered with Arsenal to launch $AFC Fan Tokens, giving supporters new ways to engage with the club and earn rewards.
The tokens are digital assets that allow fans to take part in club-related activities, including official team polls, match predictions, and other interactive features. By participating, fans earn points that can be redeemed for exclusive rewards such as match tickets, VIP experiences, and signed merchandise.
Trade Nation, a global broker specialising in forex trading, is Aston Villa’s sleeve partner. The company engages fans and the wider community through giveaways, including match tickets to give more people the chance to experience Villa Park, as well as signed shirts, replica kits, and hospitality tickets.
Through its partnership with Manchester City, cryptocurrency exchange OKX benefits from in-person branding across the Etihad Stadium and Academy Stadium.
In May, OKX launched a new campaign with the club, featuring a short film that included stars Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, and Rico Lewis, alongside former City players Sergio Agüero and Paul Dickov, and narrated by rapper and lifelong Manchester City fan Bugzy Malone.
The campaign highlighted how Manchester City and OKX are embracing the shift to a digital-first world, with the partnership marking the next step in creating a more interactive digital fan experience.
While many companies choose to sponsor individual clubs, Barclays has taken a different approach, partnering with the Premier League itself for more than two decades, having first started the sponsorship in 2001.
Barclays uses its partnership with the Premier League to reinforce its commitment to women’s football, with a particular focus on grassroots development.
It has increased investment in The FA Girls’ Football School Partnerships to expand access in schools. Since 2019, 12,000 schools have joined, with a target of 20,000 by 2024. The bank has also launched a community fund with Sported to provide grants and resources to grassroots groups, focusing on underrepresented areas.
Ahead of the new season, financial services companies are continuing to leverage Premier League sponsorships to achieve a range of strategic goals, from boosting brand visibility and fan engagement to supporting community initiatives and promoting social impact.