Front-of-shirt sponsorship deals between gambling companies and sports clubs continue in the United Kingdom, with Coral, a licensed local operator, teaming up with Championship club Birmingham City for the 2026-27 season.
This comes in the fraught context of more industry giants calling for an end of a loophole that allows offshore gambling companies to have their logos similarly emblazoned on players’ shirts.
This is the first time Coral has been featured in a front-of-shirt partnership in the brand’s century history, even though Coral and Birmingham City have been official partners in the previous two seasons.
Starting from the upcoming season, however, the brand will also have its logo displayed on men’s and women’s shirts.
Through this deal, the brands are looking to strengthen their rapport with supporters and the community and continue to expand their partnership in a way that makes significant contributions “on and off the pitch.”
Commenting on the opportunity, Birmingham City CEO Jeremy Dale said that the Coral partnership was an important opportunity for the team and a further way to expand an already meaningful and impactful alliance.
“Coral has become a trusted and valued partner of ours over the past 18 months, consistently putting supporters at the heart of everything they do.
From creating memorable experiences for fans to raising more than £40,000 for the Birmingham City Foundation through their support of both our men’s and women’s teams, they have demonstrated a genuine commitment to our club and the city we represent,” Dale explained.
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The renewed partnership was welcomed by Entain UK and Ireland managing director Bejay Patel who was similarly upbeat about the opportunities the partnership provided, adding that the company and the brand were delighted to have deepened their relationship with the club.
While a voluntary agreement between Premier League teams was announced in 2023 is set to kick in the 2026/2027 season, such partnerships have still been signed, as clubs such as Birmingham City, which play in the EFL, are exempt from this restriction.
Many teams and sponsors have developed alternative options, such as displaying brands’ logos on sleeves, to circumvent the ban’s terms.
Midnite, another brand, has already signed multiple teams for similar partnerships displaying the company’s logo on various pieces of apparel.
Entain has also been active on that front, although the company’s boss, Stella David, has urged the government to act to ensure that offshore brands cannot advertise by exploiting a loophole.