Chelsea are in danger of being without a shirt sponsor at the start of the Premier League season for the second year in a row as the club has not yet found a partner.
A partnership with Three ended after the 2022/23 season and Chelsea only agreed to appear as a front-of-the-shirt sponsor with Infinite Athlete in late September. By that time, the Blues had already played eight Premier League and Carabao Cup games in a shirt without a sponsor.
It was only a one-year deal, but confusion reigned in May and it was believed that Infinite Athlete, a sports data technology company, would enter a second season. The shirts worn by players during pre-season friendlies featured Infinite Athlete’s name, but Chelsea’s 2024/25 shirts will be sold without that name.
With Infinite Athlete already confirmed as sleeve sponsor for this season, Chelsea are hoping for a more lucrative deal for the front of the shirt.
The sun reports that no new deal has been found yet and that the club is expected to drop Infinite Athlete from the front of its shirts when the Premier League season begins, as rules do not allow a change of sponsor during the season except in certain circumstances. Any club can make a temporary switch once during a campaign to benefit a charity partner, while sponsors who experience financial difficulties can also allow a switch, as was the case with West Ham United in both 2008 and 2015.
Starting the season without a sponsor at least gives Chelsea more time to find a new shirt partner. Their 12-month deal with Infinite Athlete for last season was reportedly worth £40 million.
It is believed that the lack of qualification for the Champions League, which can only offer prospective brands the less attractive Conference League as a platform, has affected the search. Chelsea have not played in Europe’s top competition since 2023 and will not do so again until at least 2025 due to consecutive Premier League finishes outside the all-important top four.
Manchester United, on the other hand, have moved in the opposite direction, trying to make as much revenue as possible from their famous kit. The shirts the Red Devils wore at the Community Shield on Saturday featured the logo of Microsoft CoPilot + PCs below the number. United are not allowed to display the sponsor in the Premier League or Europa League under competition rules, but they can use it for WSL, Academy, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Conti Cup matches.
