Chelsea kicked the 25/26 season off with a goalless draw against Crystal Palace in a sponsor-less kit, making them the only PL club to not have one. While the match featured two exciting teams, the most apparent sight was the Blues’ empty shirts. Sponsor-less kits were the norm in the past. However, not having a kit sponsor is a very rare sight, even in lower leagues. Fans associate iconic seasons and kits with the sponsor on the shirt; for example, Real Madrid and Emirates, Barcelona and UNICEF, Chelsea and Samsung, etc. Moreover, big clubs’ Kit sponsorship deals are some of the most lucrative deals in the world of sports. It makes you wonder, why doesn’t such a big club have a sponsor on their shirt?
Chelsea’s Kit Sponsor History
Chelsea had its first Kit Sponsor back in 1983, with Gulf Air managing to buy the rights for one season. Then came Commodore from 1987-93, Amiga from 1993-94, Coors from 1994-97, Autoglass from 1997-01, and Emirates from 2001-05. Then came the London club’s most iconic sponsor- Samsung. Samsung stayed with Chelsea for a decade from 2005-15, during what is considered the club’s golden period. Most “iconic” Chelsea kits are associated with the South Korean conglomerate. Succeeding Samsung was Yokohama Tyres until 2020, followed by their last permanent shirt sponsor, Three.
Chelsea has not had a long-term kit sponsor since 2023. This comes as their last permanent sponsorship with the telecommunications company “Three” ended after the 22/23 season. There were issues with Three earlier, too. The previous owner, Roman Abramovich, was hit with sanctions by the UK Government in 2022. In response, Three redacted its marketing activities with the club to protect its own interests and returned once the Todd Boehly-led consortium bought the club. Three did stay as the women’s team’s official training kit and apparel sponsor, even after the initial deal ended in 2023.
They started the 23/24 season sponsor-less. However, they managed to formulate a deal with Infinite Athlete in September 2023, which saw the company’s logo appear on the Blues’ kit until the end of the season. Similarly, the majority of Chelsea’s 24/25 season was sponsor-less until they agreed on a deal with DAMAC properties from April 2025 till the end of the season. Now, they’re in a similar position.
Why is Chelsea Struggling for a Permanent Sponsor?
The major factor behind Chelsea’s sponsorship issues is their on-field struggle. Chelsea placed 12th in the 22/23 Premier League table, which was their lowest finish since 1993-94. This meant that Chelsea had no European football for the following season, let alone the Champions League. The following season, Chelsea placed 6th in the table, which meant no Champions League football for another season. Not playing Champions League football drastically reduces the value of potential sponsorship deals, as brands would not be willing to pay excessive amounts to a club without the exposure that comes with European football.
This coincided with Chelsea’s struggles with the Premier League’s “PSR”, i.e., “Profits and Sustainability Regulations”. Chelsea has faced issues regarding PSR compliance over the past few years, making financial deals a difficult task.
PSR issues, lack of Champions League exposure, and no competitive success meant that companies valued Chelsea well below the valuation wanted by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Boehly is unwilling to undersell the sponsorship rights, as it would mean missing out on significant funds in the long term. Which is why Boehly is holding out on signing a permanent sponsorship deal until the club recovers its leverage in terms of PSR compliance, competitive success, and exposure through the Champions League. Until he finds the right offer, he prefers finding short-term solutions such as the DAMAC deal of last season.
What Now?
They’ve managed to secure UCL football for the 25/26 season as they placed 4th in the Premier League the previous season. Importantly, the club found global success as it defeated the European Champions, PSG, to lift the FIFA Club World Cup. Not only does this win guarantee brand exposure, but it also gives them a financial boost of around €98 million. Adding to that, the marketability of a star player like Cole Palmer increases the attractiveness of the club. When it comes to PSR, Chelsea has managed to crawl out of the compliance issues with the help of some controversial accounting tactics and sales of assets.
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The club’s position has strengthened due to these reasons, giving it more leverage. It sees itself valued at £60 million per year, around the same as United’s deal with Snapdragon. Being on par with the biggest brand in English football is a big ask, but recent improvements mean the Blues will see higher valuations than earlier. They may very well opt for another short-term sponsor this season. Nevertheless, the club is on track to see a permanent sponsor soon, with Matt Law reporting that the Blues are in talks with 7-10 big companies regarding a long-term kit sponsorship deal.
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