Newcastle United ditch Fun88 as front-of-shirt sponsor
Asia-facing operator to remain as a regional sponsor as club look for new principal partner ahead of Champions League return
Newcastle United have dropped Asia-facing operator Fun88 as its front-of-shirt sponsor but will retain a less prominent commercial relationship with the firm.
Fun88 had served as the Premier League side’s principal partner since the beginning of the 2017-18 season.
However, the Magpies have now shifted the relationship which will see Fun88 become the club’s official Asian betting partner in a multi-year deal from the 2023-24 season onwards.
Under the remit of the new deal, the pair will work together to support Newcastle’s commercial growth in Asia.
The move to end the principal relationship with Fun88 comes after Newcastle was taken over by a Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PFI last January.
It has been reported that the club’s new owners are looking for a more lucrative front-of-shirt sponsor, especially with the club returning to the Champions League for the first time 2002-03.
Additionally, the move follows Premier League clubs’ voluntary decision to phase out front-of-shirt sponsorship by gambling firms by the 2025-26 season.
Fun88’s new role as a regional betting partner will be allowed under the new rules, as will shirt sleeve and in-stadia partners.