Why don't Chelsea or Sunderland have a shirt sponsor?

Chelsea and Sunderland are the only Premier League clubs that will begin the 2026-27 season without a shirt sponsor. Chelsea attributes this lack of sponsorship to time-consuming negotiations, citing Manchester United's TeamViewer deal as a rare example. However, Chelsea's underperformance has likely impacted their commercial prospects, leading to a lower valuation for a sponsorship deal at around £50m to £55m per season.

Their 15-year, £900m total deal with Nike is now considered below market value, prompting Chelsea to proceed cautiously. Sunderland, meanwhile, faces a new restriction on gambling sponsors this season, having previously been sponsored by W88. The Premier League banned gambling sponsors on the front of kits starting with the 2025-26 season, and three clubs that had them last term have switched sponsors. Sunderland, like Chelsea, has yet to secure a replacement sponsor.