TLDR
- The Premier League’s gambling shirt sponsorship ban could leave up to nine clubs without a main sponsor for the 2026/27 season
- Non-gambling replacement deals are coming in at roughly half the value of previous gambling contracts
- The collective revenue loss across clubs could reach £80 million next season
- Financial services firms like CMC Markets are emerging as potential replacements for gambling sponsors
- Top six clubs remain largely unaffected while mid-table and lower-tier teams face the biggest financial hit
The Premier League is heading into next season with a growing financial problem. A ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships is set to take effect, and many clubs are struggling to find replacement deals.
According to The Guardian, as many as nine clubs have not yet secured a front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 season. Twelve teams in total have not signed new contracts.
The voluntary ban was agreed upon following consultation with the U.K. government. It removes one of the most profitable sources of commercial income for English football’s top division.
Gambling companies, especially those targeting Asian markets, have long paid premium prices for the global visibility that comes with Premier League shirt sponsorship. Their exit has created a gap that other industries have been slow to fill.
Sean Connell, Editor of The Sponsor, has said that clubs with gambling sponsors stand to lose an average of 38% of their front-of-shirt value when replacing those deals with non-gambling brands.
One club’s commercial director told The Sponsor anonymously that the best offer they received from a non-gambling brand was less than half their current deal.
A senior club executive told The Guardian that “nearly everyone” is losing money. The executive added that outside the big six, shirt sponsorship offers have dropped by around 50%.
Another executive estimated the total revenue hit across all clubs could reach £80 million next season.
Early Replacement Deals Show Sharp Drop in Value
Some clubs have already moved to lock in new agreements, but the numbers tell a clear story.
Bournemouth announced that stadium sponsor Vitality will become their front-of-shirt sponsor in a reduced deal. Brentford is reportedly close to a deal with Indeed, its current training kit partner.
Both clubs are understood to have accepted deals worth around £4 million to £5 million per year. That is well below what their previous gambling deals were worth.
Connell has noted that Bournemouth’s reported £6.1 million annual deal with BJ88 sat 49% above fair market value, which makes the drop even steeper in real terms.
Financial Services Firms Step In as Gambling Exits
One sector showing interest in filling the gap is financial services. Reports have emerged that Everton and Fulham are in advanced talks with CMC Markets for front-of-shirt deals reportedly worth up to £50 million over three years.
Several clubs already have partnerships in this space. Brighton has a long-term deal with American Express. Tottenham has an agreement with insurer AIA. Liverpool is partnered with Standard Chartered.
The top six clubs remain largely protected. Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United all have deals worth £50 million to £60 million per year. Tottenham’s £40 million annual deal with AIA runs through next season.
Chelsea is an exception, having started each of the past three seasons without a shirt sponsor before agreeing to short-term deals.
Mid-table and lower-tier clubs are feeling the pressure most. Some are exploring workarounds, including shifting gambling partners to sleeve sponsorships, which remain allowed.
Everton and West Ham are reportedly moving their gambling sponsors to sleeve deals. Newcastle recently signed a pitchside advertising deal with 8Xbet.
There are early signs that displaced gambling operators may redirect spending toward the English Football League, where shirt sponsorship remains permitted under an existing agreement with Sky Bet through 2029.
