Newcastle United's £25 million per year backers, Sela, have announced a clean break from the club, thanking fans for their support over the past three years. The Saudi-based company's branding will be removed from St James' Park after their front-of-shirt sponsorship deal expired with no plans for renewal ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Uncertainty Over Pre-Season Tournament
The departure leaves a question mark over who will sponsor Newcastle's pre-season tournament at St James' Park, following three years of the Sela Cup on Tyneside. United won two of those tournaments, with victories over Brest and Villarreal. Newcastle will launch their new Adidas home kit on Wednesday without a front-of-shirt sponsor, while pre-season plans—including a potential home friendly against AS Roma—remain unconfirmed.
Sela's Statement and Legacy
A statement from Sela read: "Sela has concluded its highly successful principal partnership with Newcastle United, which delivered unforgettable experiences for communities and fans across Tyneside. Defined by innovation and a commitment to supporters, Sela received global acclaim for a succession of unforgettable activations, including the pioneering introduction of haptic shirts for the deaf community and a series of spectacular, immersive displays."
The partnership, which began in 2023, was named the most-awarded football sponsorship in the world in 2024, claiming a record 150 awards. The groundbreaking initiative "Unsilence the Crowd" reimagined how deaf or hard-of-hearing fans experience the atmosphere at St James' Park through the Sela Sound Shirt, a replica Newcastle shirt woven with intelligent sensors that use haptic technology to translate crowd noise into vibrations on the upper body.
Sela also delivered spectacular drone and light shows, including "We're Back," a visual spectacular above St James' Park using 500 illuminated drones to celebrate the club's return to the UEFA Champions League, and "We Are One," a first-of-its-kind 3D projection mapping show onto the Baltic building and the River Tyne.
Impact Beyond Newcastle
Ahead of the Carabao Cup Final, Sela took over Millbank Tower on the River Thames in London with a dazzling projection. Inside Wembley, they gifted over 32,000 scarves to supporters and delivered a spectacular drone show to conclude the trophy parade. Sela's chief experience officer, Ibrahim Mohtaseb, said: "Sela is about redefining fan experiences. To do that, we must listen to the communities we serve, and in Newcastle, we found a truly unique and passionate community of fans—both in the city and globally. I would like to put on record our thanks to the club, fans, and everyone involved with Newcastle United. The club will always hold a special place in Sela's story, and we wish everyone continued success in the years ahead."
Since linking up with Newcastle, Sela has substantially expanded its international operations, including delivering world-class boxing events such as Chris Eubank Jr vs. Conor Benn in London and Terence Crawford vs. Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in Nevada. The company also launched its international headquarters in London last year and has branched into other sports, hosting the London Premier Padel P1 this summer—bringing professional padel to the UK for the first time.
