Coral Named Birmingham City Principal Partner in First Front of Shirt Deal of Its 100 Year History
A betting brand waits a century to put its name on the front of a shirt. Then it picks Birmingham City. That is the story behind one of the more interesting sponsorship moves of the summer.
Coral, owned by Entain, has been announced as the new Principal Partner of Birmingham City Football Club. The agreement, sees the Coral Birmingham City Principal Partner deal place the brand on the front of the Men’s and Women’s home, away and third kits for the 2026/27 season. It is the first front of shirt football sponsorship Coral has ever signed in its 100 year history.
Coral Birmingham City Partnership Steps Up After Two Seasons
This is not a cold start. Coral has served as the Club’s official betting partner for the past two seasons, a period the Club credits with delivering fan experiences, community initiatives and industry recognition. The strength of that work saw Birmingham City and Coral shortlisted for Partnership of the Year at the 2026 Football Business Awards.
The move to Principal Partner status is the natural next rung. Birmingham City CEO Jeremy Dale described Coral as a trusted partner that has consistently put supporters at the heart of everything it does, calling the front of shirt decision a powerful endorsement of the Club’s vision and ambition. Bejay Patel, Managing Director, UK and Ireland at Entain, said the brand was proud to take the relationship to the next level with a club that shares Coral’s long history and its focus on putting fans first.
Community Impact Behind the Birmingham City Sponsorship
The commercial layer sits on top of a genuine community record. During the 2025/26 season, Coral pledged £500 to charity for every home goal scored by both the Men’s and Women’s teams. The result was more than £40,000 donated to the Birmingham City Foundation. That initiative will run again in 2026/27, meaning every home goal next season carries a charitable return alongside the sporting one.
Safer Gambling at the Centre of the Coral Sponsorship Strategy
For operators watching this deal, the positioning matters as much as the placement. Coral operates under a UK Gambling Commission licence and has leaned into the safer gambling narrative rather than around it. Earlier this year, Entain partnered with social media personality Big John on a campaign educating supporters about the dangers of the illegal gambling market, reaching more than three million people across social platforms. Framing a shirt sponsorship around regulated, licensed betting is a deliberate contrast with the offshore brands that have dominated EFL shirt fronts in recent years. It reads as a message to regulators as much as to fans.
Future Outlook for the Coral Birmingham City Principal Partner Deal
Watch three things over the next 12 months. First, whether the £500 per goal Foundation pledge becomes the activation template Entain rolls into other club relationships. Second, how a licensed British brand fronting a high profile club shapes the wider debate on gambling sponsorship in football, at a time when scrutiny of the sector has rarely been higher. Third, whether Coral extends the model, because a brand does not break a 100 year habit for a single season.
If regulated operators want to prove sponsorship can be done responsibly, this is the deal they will point to.
Source: Entain
