4 September, Beijing time (CEST), according to The Guardian, Women's Super League (WSL) side London City Lionesses and Nike have reached a front-of-shirt sponsorship agreement, setting a new record for the largest sponsorship deal in women's football history.

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

Although the contract duration and specific amount have not been disclosed, sources within the club describe it as a "revolutionary" moment. Kang has also stated that the sponsorship value exceeds even front-of-shirt advertising contracts of some Premier League clubs.

This Friday, London City Lionesses will host Manchester United in their opening home match of the WSL season. This is only their second season since promotion to the top flight. However, they have made significant headlines in the summer transfer market, signing several high-profile players, including Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, former England goalkeeper Mary Earps, and Putellas's Barcelona and Spain teammates Mapi León.

According to previous reports, the highest women's football front-of-shirt sponsorship was a deal received by new NWSL side Atlanta, which will join the league in 2028, valued at approximately $4 million per year. However, Kang stated directly in a media interview: "I can definitively confirm this is the largest single front-of-shirt sponsorship in women's football, and the amount has already exceeded Atlanta's deal."

"I can also reveal that this sponsorship value is even higher than some front-of-shirt sponsorships of Premier League football clubs. This is a huge investment, which is why it is a milestone. Many people genuinely believe in the future of women's football. Nike's decision was not rushed at all; this is not charity. They are optimistic about women's football's prospects and believe they can invest and build the future with us."

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, their annual revenue was only £902,000, while operating losses for the same period exceeded £10 million—losses more than ten times their revenue.

Their substantial summer acquisitions had previously raised external questions: how could the club afford such high spending under WSL salary cap restrictions? Under WSL regulations, a club's player wage spending cannot exceed 80% of relevant revenue plus a maximum of £4 million owner investment. With the Nike sponsorship in place, the club's annual revenue is expected to see explosive growth compared to previous seasons.

Nike's substantial valuation is attributed to the immense social media popularity of the club's newly signed star players—Putellas alone has 3.4 million social media followers, and both Earps and León have extremely high profiles. Putellas helped Spain win the 2023 World Cup and has 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.

Tradotto dall'IA.

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