UK betting operators continue to make front-of-shirt sponsorship deals in the EFL Championship in response to the Premier League voluntary front-of-shirt gambling ban, with Entain’s Coral brand making its own history in the process.
Coral has become the new principal partner of Birmingham City FC, following on from being the Championship club’s official betting partner for the past two seasons.
Expanding the collaboration, Coral’s logo will now appear on the men’s and women’s home, away and third kits for the 2026/27 season, marking a historic first-ever front-of-shirt partnership for the Entain brand in its 100-year history.
Bejay Patel, Managing Director, UK and Ireland at Entain, said: “We are very proud of the partnership we have developed with Birmingham City Football Club and delighted to take this relationship to the next level.
“This is the first time in Coral’s history that we have become a front-of-shirt football sponsor and who better to do that with than the Blues, a club that shares our long history and our passion for putting fans first.”
A sign of the times
Birmingham City becomes the seventh Championship club to have a front-of-shirt sponsorship ahead of the upcoming season, alongside Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers with Midnite, Queens Park Rangers with MrQ Casino, Stoke City with bet365 and West Ham United with BoyleSports.
It’s a sign that gambling operators are exploring opportunities in the lower tiers of English football, as front-of-shirt deals are cut off in the Premier League through the division’s voluntary ban on front-of-shirt sponsorships from gambling companies.
However, many operators and football clubs have either switched to sleeve sponsorship or to training wear sponsorship with new agreements in response to the new Premier League regulations.
Betano recently announced a sleeve sponsorship with Aston Villa and a training kit deal with Tottenham Hotspur. Everton has moved Stake to its sleeve as well, while AFC Bournemouth has a sleeve sponsorship deal with MrQ.
It has also been widely speculated that Manchester United have inked a £20m training wear sponsorship deal with Betway.
Local community impact
Coral continues its fan engagement projects with Birmingham City fans as part of the partnership, including content, supporter experiences and activations. The brand has also sought to make a positive local community impact.
During the 2025/26 season, £500 was pledged by Coral to the Birmingham City Foundation for every goal scored at home by the men’s and women’s teams, resulting in over £40,000 being donated. This initiative will be repeated in 2026/27.
Jeremy Dale, Chief Executive Officer at Birmingham City, added: “This partnership represents much more than a sponsorship agreement. Coral has become a trusted and valued partner of ours over the past 18 months, consistently putting supporters at the heart of everything they do.
“From creating memorable experiences for fans to raising more than £40,000 for the Birmingham City Foundation through their support of both our Men’s and Women’s teams, they have demonstrated a genuine commitment to our Club and the city we represent.
“As a long-established British brand operating under a UK Gambling Commission licence, they share our commitment to integrity, trust and doing things the right way.
“Their decision to take their first-ever front-of-shirt sponsorship with our Club is a powerful endorsement of our vision, our ambition and a testament to how our teams work together so constructively. We are delighted to continue building this relationship.”
Patel continued: “As a brand that has been part of British communities for generations, Coral is committed to creating outstanding experiences for supporters while promoting safer gambling and raising awareness of the risks associated with unlicensed operators.
“During the coming season, we will continue to create memorable moments for fans and support the amazing work of the Birmingham City Foundation through our backing of both the men’s and women’s teams.”
