German sportswear giant Puma has signed an official agreement with English soccer’s Premier League, ending US sportswear giant Nike’s 25-season run as the league's ball supplier.
The new partnership will see Puma provide match balls for all league matches from the start of the 2025-26 season after Nike's deal expires at the end of the current season.
Go deeper with GlobalData
As part of the deal, Puma will also support the Premier League across multiple initiatives, including via marketing campaigns and events including the Premier League Summer Series, a series of friendly matches that will be hosted in the United States in July, and community-based soccer programs.
It is understood Nike had the option of extending its long-standing partnership, but negotiations between the pair failed.
The company had been making at least two balls per season since 2004-05, having been the official ball supplier to the Premier League since the 2000-01 season.
Puma chief executive Arne Freundt said: “The agreement with the Premier League, the most watched football league in the world, is an important step in Puma’s brand elevation strategy.
“We look forward to bringing our performance technology to the forefront of the game and connecting with the many fans worldwide. With Puma’s ball at the center of attention during every match in this incredible league, we will create unforgettable moments for players and fans alike.”
Puma already has a presence in the Premier League through its official partnership with Manchester City, the league’s current champions, as well as several Premier League players, including Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jordan Pickford (Everton), and Marc Cucurella (Chelsea).
Puma replaced Nike as the Serie A ball supplier from the 2022-23 season and has also been La Liga’s official ball supplier since the 2019-20 campaign.
Puma’s growing portfolio of league tie-ups also includes Liga Portugal, the second-tier English Football League, the Malaysian Football League, and the Scottish Professional Football League and Scottish Women’s Premier League.
Puma holds deals with top club soccer sides such as AC and Inter Milan, Palmeiras, RB Leipzig, and Marseille, as well as national teams such as Portugal, Austria, Iceland, the Czech Republic, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Morocco, Egypt, Switzerland, and Paraguay.
The news comes shortly after it was announced that German sportswear giant Adidas would return as the official ball supplier for the top two German soccer divisions Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga from the 2026-27 season in a deal with governing body DFL.
