Man United’s Sponsorship Revenue Threatened by Underperformance

Ineos faces challenges as global partners reconsider deals amid on-field struggles.

 Amid efforts by **Ineos** to boost revenue, Manchester United faces significant commercial headwinds. Underperformance on the pitch now threatens lucrative sponsorships, potentially reversing financial gains.

Financial Realities at Old Trafford

**Sir Jim Ratcliffe** has been candid about the club’s financial straits, even suggesting Manchester United faced potential financial collapse by 2025 before **Ineos** stepped in.

Despite these warnings, the club is on track to potentially exceed its record revenue of £662 million. However, United are losing ground financially to rivals; a 15th-place finish and Europa League defeat haven’t helped attract lucrative sponsorships.

Consequently, global partners are re-evaluating their commitment. This summer, **Ineos** is feeling the impact directly as potential sponsors hesitate.

Training Kit Sponsorship Void

While the £60 million Qualcomm front-of-shirt deal remains a significant asset, the recent launch of the 2025/26 training kit revealed a conspicuous absence of a sponsor.

Previously, Tezos held a £24 million per year deal for the training kit. Football finance expert **Adam Williams** shared insights with United in Focus regarding the implications of this void: 

“It’s more common than not these days for a club to bill a sponsorship deal as a ‘multi-year’ contract and not brief to the press exactly how long the partnership actually is.”

—Adam Williams, Football Finance Expert

**Williams** elaborated, noting the prevalence of break clauses in sponsorship agreements.

The departure of Tezos and Marriott Bonvoy suggests a potential reduction in advertising budgets or a reassessment of the value derived from these partnerships. As a point of comparison, Liverpool’s shirt sponsorship with Standard Chartered is worth over £50 million annually (Statista).

“The Marriott deal was probably worth £5-10m. The Tezos deal won’t have been worth as much as £24m as that figure will have included all bonuses and other contractual elements, but it’s certainly a significant hit.”

—Adam Williams, Football Finance Expert

**Williams** also cautioned that prolonged underperformance could erode United’s brand appeal, impacting future commercial growth.

Even with the record-breaking £900 million Adidas deal, the absence of key sponsors raises concerns.

Sponsorship revenue was recorded at £178 million in the latest accounts, a figure expected to grow for 2024-25. However, the departure of partners signals deeper issues.

Looking Ahead

Without European football next season, attracting sponsors for 2025/26 becomes significantly more challenging, increasing the pressure on **Ruben Amorim** to secure qualification the following season. **Ineos** risks further setbacks if they cannot secure lucrative sponsorships.