West Ham United, the newly relegated English soccer club, have announced Irish sports betting and gambling firm Boyle Sports will continue as their principal partner during the 2026-27 season as they prepare to compete in the second-tier EFL Championship.
Under a new multi-year deal, Boyle Sports has retained its principal partner status, with its logo to feature on the home, away, and training kits of the club’s men’s and women’s teams for the upcoming season.
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As part of the agreement, Boyle Sports will also continue to work with the club on engaging activations during matchdays and across digital channels.
The new deal builds on Boyle Sports’ original multi-year agreement with West Ham. The front-of-shirt portion of the deal was expected to end at the conclusion of the 2025-26 Premier League season due to the top tier’s incoming gambling sponsorship ban.
However, after dropping down to the second tier, West Ham has been able to retain Boyle Sports' logo.
Boyle Sports chief executive Vlad Kaltenieks said: “West Ham United is one of the most recognizable clubs in English football, with a proud history and a passionate fanbase.
“We were proud to begin our partnership last season, but this is only the start, and we look forward to an exciting season ahead.”
The Premier League clubs are moving away from gambling sponsors on the front of shirts from the 2026-27 season as part of efforts to reduce fans' exposure to gambling.
The sponsorship ban, agreed in 2023, prevents gambling companies, including sports betting operators and other online gambling sites, from occupying the front of shirt space on Premier League shirts.
Clubs in the EFL are not currently subject to the same restrictions as the Premier League, with those competing in the Championship, League One, and League Two, still allowed to feature gambling sponsors on the front of their shirts.
Karim Virani, West Ham United’s interim chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to have Boyle Sports continue as our front of shirt partner as part of the multi-year principal partnership.
“As we enter an exciting new era for the club and prepare for a pivotal season, it matters that our commercial partners share the same passion and drive that we have for our loyal fans. Boyle Sports has approached the partnership in that spirit, and we look forward to continuing to work with them.”
The new deal comes at a difficult time for the club. Along with relegation to the second tier of English soccer, the club saw co-chairman David Sullivan resign amid allegations of misconduct earlier this month.
As a result, Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky increased his ownership stake to around 43%, becoming the club’s largest shareholder.
Through his investment group, 1890 Holdings, Kretinsky raised his stake from 27%, which he first acquired in November 2021, after striking a deal with West Ham's joint-chair Vanessa Gold.
That agreement made him the second-largest shareholder at West Ham and included an option to acquire the shares owned by David Sullivan and the late David Gold for a set price.
Sullivan resigned with immediate effect last week after the BBC, through its investigative documentary series BBC Panorama, and the Times newspaper published a joint investigation into his behavior, accusing him of sexually exploitative and predatory behavior towards women going back decades. Sullivan has denied the allegations.
In a joint statement published by the club, Kretinsky and Vanessa Gold said they were “deeply concerned” by the revelations from the investigation into Sullivan’s alleged conduct.
