Arsenal and TCL Expand Strategic Partnership into Global Agreement.

Roger Hampel

Photo Credit: Arsenal FC

Arsenal FC has announced the expansion of its partnership with TCL, elevating the relationship from a regional collaboration to a multi-year global agreement. TCL, one of the world’s largest consumer electronics manufacturers, will now become Arsenal’s Official Global Consumer Electronics Partner, marking a significant step in the club’s international commercial development.

The agreement builds upon the two parties' regional collaboration established in 2023, which previously focused on the UK, Middle East, and Africa. As a global partner, TCL will now extend its presence into new territories, leveraging Arsenal’s growing international footprint and highly engaged fanbase.

From Regional Success to Global Scale Arsenal TCL

The expanded partnership reflects what both sides describe as “shared values” around innovation, performance, and global ambition. Over the past two years, Arsenal and TCL have worked on a number of campaigns and activations — including content pieces, matchday integrations, and in-market events — that tested the commercial and cultural alignment of the brands.

Juliet Slot, Chief Commercial Officer at Arsenal, commented on the evolution of the partnership:

“We are immensely proud of our work with TCL, which has laid the foundation for a new chapter in our relationship and is a testament to our collaboration and shared values. As our new Global Partner, we look forward to continuing this successful relationship, working together to achieve our goals, with our supporters at the heart of everything we do together.” (via www.arsenal.com)

For Arsenal, this global upgrade reflects an ongoing strategy to transition regional sponsorships into tier-one, scalable partnerships, with activation opportunities across multiple business units — including the men’s and women’s teams, fan engagement platforms, and international tours.

Player Ambassadors and Product Integration

The new global partnership will feature Arsenal first team forward Bukayo Saka as a TCL ambassador — a continuation of his previous role in content for the brand, including the “Go Big with TCL” campaign. Saka will serve as a brand connector, bridging fan communities with TCL’s technology positioning.

The agreement also includes the UEFA Women’s Champions League-winning Arsenal Women’s team, underlining the club’s broader approach to integrating both men’s and women’s football into commercial partnerships.

TCL’s visibility will extend to matchday programming, with integrations in Arsenal’s live broadcast platform, ‘Live from N5’, aimed at building brand resonance among global viewers.

Asia as a Key Market

TCL’s global headquarters are based in Hong Kong, and Arsenal’s upcoming pre-season tour to Singapore and Hong Kong provides an ideal platform for joint activations in a strategic market. The tour is expected to feature fan events, exclusive content, and co-branded experiences designed to engage supporters and strengthen TCL’s presence in its home region.

Ms. Sunny Yang, General Manager of TCL Middle East & Africa, emphasized the global ambition behind the expanded deal:

“We are proud to elevate our partnership with Arsenal to a global level, marking a significant milestone for TCL. This expanded alliance reflects our shared ambition to lead through excellence, innovation, and passion. As a brand committed to shaping the future of smart living, this global partnership allows us to strengthen our connection with fans worldwide and deliver immersive experiences that unite the power of technology with the spirit of sport.”

Yang’s comments reflect a broader movement in the sponsorship space, where brands no longer view football clubs simply as media channels but as cultural partners capable of delivering high-value storytelling and immersive brand engagement.

Partnership Highlights

Over the last 18 months, the Arsenal–TCL relationship has already produced a number of standout activations:

• The “Go Big with TCL” commercial featuring Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Mo Elneny

• The “Inspire Greatness” campaign with Declan Rice, Ben White, and Mikel Merino

• In-market activations such as a Dubai meet-and-greet during winter training, and appearances by Arsenal legends Robert Pirès and Martin Keown at TCL industry events in Berlin and Turkey

  
  

These initiatives have formed the blueprint for the expanded agreement and are expected to scale further under the global partnership.

Source: www.arsenal.com