AFC and Kelme in five-year sportswear, ball-supply renewal

This new tie-up extends across club competitions as well as the national team competitions (as were covered previously).

Euan Cunningham November 18 2024

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regional governing body has extended and expanded its commercial association with Kelme, the Chinese sportswear brand, until 2029.

The five-year renewal designates Kelme as the official supporter of all major AFC club competitions for the next five years, as well as fulfilling that role for several national team competitions over that same timeframe.

The last deal between the pair, unveiled in August 2021 and running through 2024, saw Kelme provide apparel and accessories for major national team competitions, such as the 2023 Asian Cup and the Under-23 Asian Cups in 2022 and 2024. It acted as the body’s apparel and ball supplier during that time period.

The club competitions that the relationship between the pair has now expanded across include the men’s Champions League Elite and Champions League Two, as well as the Women’s Champions League.

It will also supply match balls for the 2027 Asian Cup (Saudi Arabia), and the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup (Australia), amongst other national team competitions.

In terms of recent AFC activity, mid-September saw the regional governing body bring in food delivery site and app Talabat as a regional partner of its club competitions.

That followed a similar deal between the AFC and Iraq-based telecoms provider Earthlink.

Kelme, meanwhile, is also a technical partner for several Chinese club soccer sides, as well as for a diverse range of national team federations.

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