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Behind the smiling face of the world's most famous football club is not just a footballing legacy but also a formidable brand, underpinned by innovation, ambition, and a huge global football fanbase. The club has built partnerships across a wide swath of industries including technology and finance sportswear, media, and entertainment, showing that it can work with brands that understand the club's philosophy and drive. They're not sponsorships, they're strategic alliances that strengthen Manchester United's strength on the pitch and economically. These partnerships are a perfect blend of corporate ambition, exhibited through mutual growth and our passion for sports.
Adidas
It's no secret that since first being selected as the kit supplier back during the mid-80s through to 1992 when Audi took over courtside, mid-80s have always had a strong and deep-rooted relationship with Manchester United. Adidas came back for the 2015-16 season, bringing this long-dormant partnership back to life. In July 2023 their bond was taken to new heights with a massive, mammoth-looking 10-year extension, worth well over a billion pounds, and with that put their deal on the board as one of the most lucrative kit deals in sport. This isn't only about financial success – both clubs' playing kits, training gear, and wider merchandise on the men's, women's, and academy teams are all designed and manufactured by Adidas. Iconic designs such as the 2018/19 kit, which blends tradition with innovation to celebrate the club's 140th anniversary; 2021/22 third is a bold reference to the early 1990s aesthetic. Its 2023/24 home kit shows how firmly it can do both, with a classic red model evoking Manchester's industrial heritage and still 75 years away from the BSC's centenary. Beyond performance wear, Adidas's merch mix— from jerseys to lifestyle products—caters to the club's massive international fan base and pays homage to a brand that's equally as well known off the pitch as it is.
Snapdragon
Starting with the 2024/25 season, Manchester United has duly named Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.'s core brand Snapdragon a principal shirt sponsor. Under the men's team and club partnership, the company's Snapdragon logo appears on the front of the club's kits to unite the men's, women's, and academy sides. The first deal was worth a whopping £60 million per annum when the deal was announced alongside the unveiling of Manchester United's 2024/25 home kit in July 2024. Snapdragon's partnership was extended one month later another two years, which would mean Snapdragon riding out the 2028/29 season. While offering financial commitment, Snapdragon also signaled its desire to take on the naming rights to Old Trafford, a decision that risks redefining the club's world-renowned stadium and would bear considerable weight on fan satisfaction and psychical footprint. Beyond sponsorship, this collaboration joins the worlds of sports and technology, pairing Manchester United's proud historic football brand with Snapdragon's innovative pedigree to develop both businesses and create world firsts.
Tezos
In February 2022, cutting-edge and sustainable blockchain platform Tezos partnered with Manchester United as the club's Official Blockchain and Training Kit Partner. This forward-thinking collaboration is symbolized by the Tezos logo proudly on the training kits of the men's and women's teams. This partnership brings Manchester United's fans into Web3 technology by bringing fans closer to Tezos blockchain through the secure innovation capable of digital interactions without intermediaries. On top of being a technological game changer, Tezos' energy-efficient design fits perfectly with Manchester United's stance towards environmental sustainability. It also promotes community support and continues to donate Tez, Tezos' native cryptocurrency, to the Manchester United Foundation so that the club can further educate and encourage young people in the community. Unique experiences include official digital collectibles on the digital collectible platform and a Web3 fantasy game built on a Tezos platform, which provides engaging, interactive ways to engage with the club. As a partnership blending the worlds of sports, and blockchain, this merges fan engagement and reinforces sustainability, and community building as core values.
DXC Technology
DXC Technology, a global leader in IT services, as Manchester United's Official Digital Transformation Partner and Shirt Sleeve Sponsor, united to drive innovation across the club in July 2022. DXC's digital transformation projects are crucial to laying the foundations of a stronger digital experience for the club's 1.1 billion fans, particularly when it comes to optimizing digital platforms. DXC also enables us to build a robust and comprehensive data platform to pull together data across the club that can provide critical business insights for strategic planning and performance improvements. The Manchester United home, away, and third kits all feature a small DXC logo visible on the sleeve to highlight the reach of the partnership and the brand awareness that comes from it on the pitch and off. But DXC shoulders a responsibility to the world beyond technological advancements: the Manchester United Foundation Digital Futures Academy. This four-year program gives young people the social and technical skills they need to pursue a career in tech. In addition to improving operational efficiency, Manchester United and DXC are using technology to redesign fan engagement and bolster community support.
Apollo Tyres
As Manchester United's Global Tyre Partner, Apollo Tyres has been a key global player since 2013 and initially targeted the UK and Indian markets before expanding to the worldwide audience in 2016. By way of this long-standing partnership, Apollo Tyres has extended its brand visibility by leaps and bounds, with its logo prominently seen during brand matches and events all over the world. This collaboration extends beyond traditional sponsorship and has a much wider reach than that to fuel football's growth at the grassroots level, especially in India, through the inspirational content of the 'United We Play' initiative. Young footballers need a stage to represent their capabilities to the world and access global training approaches. It has also been great community engagement, with the 'Soccer School' days and other training sessions, which stimulate youth interest and support charitable programs. In December 2024, Apollo Tyres in association with Manchester United welcomed young players from various regions such as India, Nepal, Thailand, and the UAE to Old Trafford with the United We Play initiative where they shared their invaluable training experiences with Apollo Tyres alongside Manchester United. With its enduring partnership, this stands as an example of an allegiance to community development, youth involvement, and global football promotion.
Betfred
From 2006 to 2013, Manchester United partnered with leading UK-based bookmaker Betfred, as the club's official betting partner. The collaboration not only helped introduce Manchester United fans to horse racing by way of exclusive betting offers and matchday activities but also helped deepen the Fan experience via Fan Rewards. Old Trafford was awash with Betfred's branding across the club's digital channels as well as at its iconic home, guaranteeing maximum reach with the team's global fan base. Betfred has forged a long tradition of sports sponsorship beyond football, backing events like rugby league's Super League and the World Snooker Championship. Though the bookmaker is not officially among Manchester United's partners anymore (as the relationship ended in 2013), Betfred still caters to football fans with its sports betting beginning ranging from football.
Cadbury
Partnered with Official Partner Manchester United since 2020, Cadbury's organizations all share the values of generosity and community impact. One of its major projects was the 'Donate Your Words' campaign, which aimed to fight loneliness among the elderly by assisting players in interacting with fans aged 65 or over and carrying out meaningful conversations. Like the 'Give A Doubt' campaign, which raised hopes for Britain's young people through mental well-being and self-belief. Cadbury has been orchestrating tons of ticket giveaways, match tickets, and exclusive hospitality experiences, and introducing dual-branded snacking products that unite fans around the same passions. Apart from this, Cadbury has supported youth development with training sessions of young fans through the Manchester United Soccer School, which makes for an ideal opportunity for developing their skills in iconic stadiums. Following these successes, Cadbury continued to strengthen that bond with fans globally through a renewed partnership in March 2023, where they reaffirmed their promise to create impact around the world by creating community-focused initiatives that live out their spirit of generosity. |
