Nottingham Forest announce new shirt sponsor four days before Premier League opener

Nottingham Forest have secured a new front-of-shirt sponsor four days ahead of the visit of Leeds United for the start of their Premier League season.

Global financial services platform Marex have agreed a deal to sponsor the City Ground club, as well as the women’s team and the Nottingham Forest netball side.

Forest had previously been sponsored by Bally’s last season but new rules preventing top-flight sides from being sponsored by companies with links to gambling ensured that they had to find a new sponsor.

And, as Forest enter into their fifth consecutive season in the Premier League, under the newly appointed Oliver Glasner, they will do so with the Marex logo on the front of their shirts, after agreeing a multi-year deal.

Marex is a diversified global financial services platform with more than 50 offices worldwide and over 3,000 employees across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis said in a statement: “This partnership is another important step in the continued growth of our club, and we look forward to working together and building a successful relationship.”

A boost for Forest ahead of new season

Forest were one of a handful of Premier League teams who faced the prospect of starting the new season with a blank space on the front of their shirts.

Like many other clubs, Forest have been impacted by the rules preventing the promotion of gambling — five of their last seven sponsors had links to the gambling industry.

One of the exceptions was in 2022-2023, when the club generously displayed the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) logo on the front of their shirts, after failing to secure a principal sponsor.

Securing an agreement with a company in the financial industry is a boost for the club ahead of the new season.