Manchester United have resolved a Premier League kit rule issue by announcing a new multi-million pound sleeve sponsorship deal with financial technology firm SumUp. The agreement comes after the club breached competition rules during their opening weekend defeat at Hull City.
Premier League kit rules breach
Teams in England's top flight wear their sleeve sponsor's logo on one arm and the competition's badge and 'No Room For Racism' slogan on the other. Those without a sleeve sponsor are required to wear the badge and message on both sleeves, per Premier League rules.
United fell foul of these rules on the opening weekend of the season against Hull City by leaving one side blank, though they are not believed to have received any punishment for the offence. They remedied things for their home opener against Ipswich and now won't have to worry about the issue thanks to new sleeve sponsor SumUp.
SumUp replaces DXC Technology
Financial technology firm SumUp has replaced DXC Technology, whose £20million-per-season deal came to an end after the 2025/26 campaign. The deal is understood to be United's largest ever sleeve sponsorship agreement, though the exact value has not been made public.
"SumUp is a rapidly growing global business and we are delighted to welcome them to Manchester United as our official sleeve partner," United's chief business officer Marc Armstrong said. "The new agreement supports our commercial growth strategy and reflects the continued appeal of Manchester United as a platform for ambitious brands looking to connect with audiences around the world.
"We look forward to working closely with SumUp to bring them closer to our global fanbase, helping them tell their story on a worldwide stage and supporting the next chapter of their impressive growth journey."
Kit visible in Everton draw
The Premier League badge was visible on the right and left sleeves of the United kit on Sunday as Michael Carrick's team drew with Everton. They twice led at Hill Dickinson Stadium only for Tyrique George and Ainsley Maitland-Niles to score their first Toffees goals to clinch a draw.
Next up for Carrick's side is a return to Champions League action for the first time since the 2023/24 season. They kick off their European campaign on Thursday at home to Azerbaijan's Sabah, who are making their debut in the competition.
"It will be a totally different game on Thursday and then a totally different game next Sunday [against Manchester City]," the United manager said after the draw on Merseyside. "I thought there was a lot of good things today that we can move forward.
"There was good things from Hull that we took, good things from Ipswich, and there's good things today. There’s also things that we need to improve on, it’s ongoing work. We will get ready for Thursday."
