Despite a ban on gambling sponsors in the Premier League, Leeds United has forged ahead with a new Parimatch partnership.
The Premier League club has signed a new sponsorship deal with Parimatch, a betting company that operates throughout Europe. While the ban prohibits any front-of-shirt sponsorships for the 2026/27 season, Parimatch will be the official sleeve partner for Leeds United.
That’s not quite the same prominent position as past shirt sponsor placements, as seen on Bournemouth, Fulham, Newcastle, and Wolves. However, it still marks a close tie between at least one Premier League club and a gambling company. This comes after Leeds only recently secured promotion back into the league.
Leeds United welcomes Parimatch on and off the pitch
Specifically, Parimatch branding will be shown across multiple areas of the kit and other Leeds locations, including the left sleeve of match shirts, prominent displays at Elland Road and Thorp Arch training ground, and perimeter LED and media backdrop positioning.
“This represents a powerful alliance between two brands committed to winning,” said Sergey Portnov, Parimatch CEO, in a statement. “Leeds United demonstrates the strong leadership we value – a club with rich history, devoted supporters, and clear Premier League aspirations. We don’t simply follow trends; we help create them alongside clubs shaping football’s future.”
This isn’t the first Premier League partnership for Parimatch, having previously partnered with other clubs like Chelsea, Aston Villa and Leicester City.
“Parimatch’s addition as our sleeve partner represents our commitment to working with established, trustworthy brands that understand football,” said Morrie Eisenberg, Leeds United’s Chief Business Officer. “Their extensive sporting industry experience aligns with our goal of delivering innovative campaigns while supporting our on-field ambitions.”
While gambling sponsorships on the front of shirts are banned, the presence of betting in the Premier League is still widespread. Towards the end of last year, gambling ads in between Premier League games on the TV trebled in comparison to the start of the year, demonstrating major fan interest.
Featured image: Flickr, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
