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

According to American owner Michele Kang, this is the largest shirt sponsorship deal of its kind in women's football history.

While the specific duration and financial terms of the contract have not been disclosed, internal team sources describe it as a "game-changing" moment. Kang stated that the sponsorship value even exceeds some shirt sponsorship contracts held by Premier League men's 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, they have made major waves in the summer transfer market, recruiting several top stars, including former Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, former England goalkeeper Mary Earps, and Putellas's Barcelona and Spain teammate Mapi León.

According to previous reports, the highest-value women's football shirt sponsorship was secured by Atlanta, a new team joining the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in 2028, valued at approximately $4 million per year. However, Kang directly confirmed in a media interview: "I can definitively confirm that this is the single largest shirt sponsorship deal in women's football, and the value has surpassed Atlanta's."

"I can also reveal that this sponsorship value exceeds some shirt sponsorship deals for Premier League men's clubs. This is a major investment, and that is why it is so monumental. There are so many people who believe deeply in the future of women's football. Nike's decision is far from reckless; this is not charity. They are optimistic about the prospects of women's football and believe they can partner with us to invest in and build a future together."

This deal will significantly improve London City Lionesses' financial situation. The team's latest financial reports show that in the 2024-25 season, following promotion to the top flight, their annual revenue was only £902,000, while operating losses during that period exceeded £10 million—losses more than ten times their revenue.

Their major summer signings previously raised external questions: how could the team afford such spending under salary cap restrictions? According to WSL regulations, a club's player salary spending cannot exceed 80% of relevant revenue plus a maximum of £4 million in owner investment. With the Nike sponsorship, the team's annual revenue is expected to grow significantly compared to the previous season.

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

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

Situs web AF kini hadir! Lihat berita lengkap, komentar, detail pertandingan, dan statistik di komputer Anda. Kunjungi: www.allfootballapp.com