Chelsea have agreed a deal with Industrial AI company IFS to be their front-of-shirt sponsor for the rest of the season.
As The Athletic reported last month, Chelsea have remained confident that they would have a deal in place before the end of the campaign and that talks with several companies were ongoing.
The club’s shirts have been without a front-of-shirt sponsor since a temporary arrangement lasting seven games with DAMAC ended last summer.
The valuation of the agreement with IFS, who will remain a partner of the club until 2028, has not been disclosed as of yet, but it is in line with the club’s expectations for a deal like this.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with IFS and leverage their leading-edge AI software to help propel the club to even greater success,” said Jason Gannon, president of Chelsea FC.
‘This partnership is a statement of intent to keep leading in this field, harnessing the opportunities advanced technology brings and unlocking the power of AI to improve everything we do on and off the pitch.’
Mark Moffat, chief executive officer of IFS, said on the agreement: “In sport as in industry, the margins are small, the stakes are high, and the right decision at the right moment is everything. That’s what IFS Industrial AI delivers for the industries that power the global economy.
“Chelsea FC holds itself to that same uncompromising standard, and that shared ambition is exactly why we’re proud to be their Principal Partner.”
IFS, now the club’s 14th global partner, is the latest tech company to align itself with Chelsea. In October, the club announced a sleeve sponsorship deal with Vietnamese technology company FPT that runs until the end of the campaign. Chelsea are working on a multi-year sleeve sponsor for 2026 onwards.
On January 19, IFS announced a partnership with Sri Lanka Cricket as the official team sponsor of the Sri Lanka national team for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) is also an investor in the AI company.
Chelsea’s shirt with the IFS logo will be seen for the first time in the men’s home game against Burnley on Saturday afternoon, while the women’s team will wear it for the first time in their FA Cup fifth round tie against Manchester United on Sunday at Kingsmeadow.
What does this mean for Chelsea?
Chelsea finally have a front-of-shirt sponsor but questions will inevitably come from supporters about why it is another short-term agreement and a long-term arrangement continues to elude them.
Since the three-year contract with telecommunications company Three finished at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, Chelsea have had front-of-shirt deals with Infinite Athlete (September 2023-end of that season) and DAMAC (final seven games in Premier League and UEFA Conference last season).
Clearly, something is better than nothing at all, and it should be highlighted that the overall partnership with IFS is until 2028. However, Chelsea are still in the position of having to sort something out regarding front-of-shirt for 2026-27 and beyond.
The Athletic has been told that multiple conversations with multiple companies are ongoing in this regard. All options are on the table, so IFS remains a contender for next season.
Chelsea, as with their transfer policy and decision to give players longer contracts, see the way they work as taking a different approach. If there is to be a multi-year deal, it has to be with the right partner, which goes just beyond the financial side of things.
One of the reasons a relationship with IFS is so appealing is that their technology will also be embedded into the club. This agreement, plus that with shirt sleeve sponsors FPT (agreed in October), points to where Chelsea’s intentions lie: to align themselves with technology-focused companies.
As The Athletic explained last month, Chelsea have grown the number of partners they have. More are expected to be announced before the end of this campaign.
Fans will still question how much the club are missing out on financially by not having something longer in place. But Chelsea also see getting revenue from multiple partners rather than just the front of shirt sponsor as a better return overall, which is one of the reasons why they are willing to wait for the right agreement.
This approach still comes with risk. If Chelsea do not qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish in the Premier League this season, nor end this campaign with any silverware, it is surely going to have an impact on their bargaining position.
