The Black Cats will have betting company W88 on their shirts for the coming season
W88 will sponsor Sunderland next season
W88 will sponsor Sunderland in the coming season
Sunderland have confirmed a club-record commercial deal with betting company W88. The agreement sees W88 become the club’s new principal partner and as part of the most significant commercial agreement in the club’s history, the leading sports betting and online casino operator also become the club’s front-of-shirt partner and exclusive Asian Betting Partner.
W88 has partnered with numerous Premier League Clubs in recent years, including Aston Villa, Burnley, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Now Sunderland have joined that list and, activating outside the United Kingdom, the agreement will enable W88 to take advantage of the club’s global reach, which will include their branding appearing on all playing and adult replica home, away, and third shirts throughout the 2025/26 season.
The Black Cats’ chief commercial officer, Ashley Peden, said that it was the largest commercial deal in the club’s history and that it would help investment in the squad.
A club statement also hinted that a number of further partnerships will be announced, stating that the announcement marks the start of SAFC’s business operation, as the club continues to expand its global partnership portfolio.
Peden told the club: “We are delighted to be partnering with W88, who possess a proven track record of establishing successful partnerships with elite sporting organisations, including Premier League Football Clubs.
"The agreement represents the largest commercial deal in the Club’s history, and it will contribute significantly towards enabling the club to compete in the Premier League.”
A W88 spokesperson added: “It’s an incredible honour for all of us at W88 to be partnering with Sunderland AFC, a Club with such a storied history throughout the last 150 years.
"Following an incredible return to the Premier League, we see SAFC as the perfect partner to activate with in our overseas target markets, and we can’t wait to be collaborating with them ahead of what promises to be another exciting season on Wearside.”
Speaking recently at the Foundation of Light’s annual fixture breakfast, Sunderland’s chief business officer David Bruce said the club had been in talks with a number of potential partners in the aftermath of promotion to the Premier League.
“There’s more people watching this league than any other,” he said. “So all of a sudden you get all these brands calling you saying, ‘how do we become a part of Sunderland?’ We’ve now got to assess what’s right for Sunderland, what’s right financially and from a brand point of view.
"What’s the number that we can get to that can then help Kristjaan [on the footballing side]. It’s been completely non-stop and it will continue to be that way.”
Sunderland have nipped in quickly ahead of an impending ban on gambling companies as front-of-shirt sponsors from 2026/27.
So they will need a new shirt sponsor if they do manage to avoid relegation from the Premier League next season.
Clubs voluntarily agreed on the move back in 2023, with a statement at the time saying: “Premier League clubs have today collectively agreed to withdraw gambling sponsorship from the front of clubs’ matchday shirts, becoming the first sports league in the UK to take such a measure voluntarily in order to reduce gambling advertising.
“The announcement follows an extensive consultation involving the League, its clubs and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the Government’s ongoing review of current gambling legislation. The Premier League is also working with other sports on the development of a new code for responsible gambling sponsorship.
“To assist clubs with their transition away from shirt-front gambling sponsorship, the collective agreement will begin at the end of the 2025/26 season.”
Gambling sponsors will still be able to feature in other areas, such as shirt sleeves and advertising hoardings.