The Premier League have announced new ball manufacturers after seeing Nike decline the option to extend their 25-year deal.
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EPL and Nike end partnershipPUMA confirmed as new ball supplierWill take over from 2025-26 seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?
Nike has been the official ball supplier to the Premier League since the 2000-01 campaign, producing at least two balls per season since 2004-05. The contract between the two parties is due to expire at the end of the current season, though, and according to , Nike turned down the chance to pen an extension.
The Premier League has now confirmed that PUMA will replace Nike as the competition's new ball supplier from 2025-26. PUMA already sponsors Manchester City and several high-profile Premier League players, including Kai Havertz, James Maddison and Harry Maguire.
AdvertisementWHAT RICHARD MASTERS SAID
Premier League CEO Richard Masters said of the new partnership: “We are delighted to be welcoming PUMA as the official ball supplier of the Premier League. PUMA has a proud history of involvement in football over many years and we look forward to seeing the new ball used at all our matches from this summer onwards.”
Puma CEO Arne Freundt added: “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 centre of attention during every match in this incredible league, we will create unforgettable moments for players and fans alike.”
Getty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
PUMA is already the official ball supplier to the English Football League (EFL) and has sponsorship agreements in place with Barnsley, Rotherham United, Blackpool, AFC Wimbledon, and Peterborough United. La Liga has been supplied official match balls by PUMA since the 2019-20 season, while AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund are also sponsored by the German corporation.
AFPWHAT NEXT?
The news of PUMA's partnership with the Premier League is unlikely to go down well with Mikel Arteta. The Arsenal boss blamed the PUMA ball for his team's Carabao Cup semi-final loss to Newcastle in January, as he told reporters: "I think we kicked a lot of the balls over the bar and it’s tricky that this ball flies a lot. It’s just different, it’s just very different to the Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies different. When you touch it, the grip is very different as well, so you have to adapt to that."
