Beijing Time (CEST) September 4 — According to The Guardian, Women's Super League (WSL) side London City Lionesses have secured a record front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with Nike, marking the largest sponsorship contract in women's football history.

According to London City Lionesses owner Michele Kang, this is the largest sponsorship of its kind in women's football history.

Although the duration and specific value of the contract have not yet been announced, insiders have described the deal as "game-changing". Kang also stated that the sponsorship's value exceeds the front-of-shirt advertising contracts of some Premier League clubs.

This Friday, London City Lionesses will host Manchester United in their WSL season opener. This is only their second season in the top flight. However, their summer transfer activity has sent shockwaves through football, as they have successively signed several top-tier stars, including former Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, England's former goalkeeper Mary Earps, and Putellas' Barcelona and Spain teammates Mapi León.

According to previous reports, the largest front-of-shirt sponsorship in women's football was secured by MLS-bound Atlanta, who will join the NWSL in 2028, valued at approximately $4 million annually. However, Kang stated directly in a media interview: "I can definitively confirm this is the largest individual front-of-shirt sponsorship in women's football, and the amount already exceeds Atlanta's deal".

"I can also reveal that this sponsorship's value exceeds front-of-shirt deals for some Premier League clubs. This is a massive investment, and that's why it's a milestone. Too many people are firmly optimistic about women's football's future. Nike's decision was far from hasty, and it's certainly not charity. They are optimistic about women's football's prospects and believe they can invest with us and build the future together."

This deal will significantly improve London City Lionesses' financial situation. The club's latest financial report shows that in the 2024-25 season, following their promotion to the top flight, annual revenues were just £902,000, while operating losses exceeded £10 million during the same period—losses more than 10 times their revenue.

Their substantial summer spending had previously raised questions from outside observers: how could the club afford such expenditure under WSL salary cap restrictions? According to WSL regulations, a club's player wage spending cannot exceed 80% of relevant revenues plus a maximum of £4 million in owner investment. It is understood that with Nike's sponsorship in place, the club's annual revenues will experience substantial growth compared to previous seasons.

The high social media profiles of the newly signed star players are considered a key factor in Nike's valuation: Putellas alone has 3.4 million social media followers, while Earps and León also have extremely high profiles. Putellas helped Spain win the 2023 World Cup and won the Champions League four times with Barcelona. The Spanish superstar announced the club's Nike sponsorship deal on her personal social media account this Thursday.

Traducido por IA.

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