TLDR The Premier League’s gambling shirt sponsorship ban could leave up to nine clubs without a main sponsor for the 2026/27 season Non-gambling replacement deals are coming in at roughly half the value of previous gambling contracts The collective revenue loss across clubs could reach £80 million next season Financial services firms like CMC Markets are emerging as potential replacements for gambling sponsors Top six clubs remain largely unaffected while mid-table and lower-tier teams face the biggest financial hit
The Premier League is heading into next season with a growing financial problem. A ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsorships is set to take effect, and many clubs are struggling to find replacement deals.
According to The Guardian, as many as nine clubs have not yet secured a front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 season. Twelve teams in total have not signed new contracts.
The voluntary ban was agreed upon following consultation with the U.K. government. It removes one of the most profitable sources of commercial income for English football’s top division.
Gambling companies, especially those targeting Asian markets, have long paid premium prices for the global visibility that comes with Premier League shirt sponsorship. Their exit has created a gap that other industries have been slow to fill.
Sean Connell, Editor of The Sponsor, has said that clubs with gambling sponsors stand to lose an average of 38% of their front-of-shirt value when replacing those deals with non-gambling brands.
One club’s commercial director told The Sponsor anonymously that the best offer they received from a non-gambling brand was less than half their current deal.
A senior club executive told The Guardian that “nearly everyone” is losing money. The executive added that outside the big six, shirt sponsorship offers have dropped by around 50%.
Another executive estimated the total revenue