Shorts: Konaté, Southampton FC, Mitre

Liverpool and France defender Ibrahima Konaté has signed a personal endorsement deal with sportswear brand Under Armour.

The centre-back joins the brand’s growing football roster as Under Armour looks to increase its presence in the sport across Europe. The partnership particularly targets the key markets of Konaté’s native France and the UK, where he plays for Liverpool.

As part of the agreement, Konaté will feature in Under Armour’s upcoming football campaign, ‘Be The Problem’, which is set to launch in the UK, France and Spain. The campaign aims to reframe the idea of being a ‘problem’ as a positive attribute for a new generation of athletes.

Ibrahima Konaté said, “I’m proud to be representing Under Armour, a brand with a history deeply rooted in performance and innovation, that shares the same drive, mentality and values as me. I am a big fan of the edge they are bringing in football and I look forward to taking my career to the next level with them, both on and off the pitch.”

EFL Championship team Southampton Football Club have extended their partnership with fintech company Ebury for the 2025/26 season.

The renewed agreement sees Ebury continue as the club’s official fintech partner, building on the relationship first established in October 2024.

As part of the partnership, Southampton will have ongoing access to Ebury’s online payments platform, currency exchange solutions and money transfer services.

Ebury’s branding will also continue to feature on LED and big screen displays at St Mary’s Stadium during matchdays. The deal strengthens Ebury’s sports portfolio, which includes partnerships with football clubs such as Aston Villa, Rangers and PSV Eindhoven.

Dave Driver, Finance Director at Southampton FC, said, “Ebury has been a fantastic partner to work with, providing a high level of expertise to support our finance operations. Together, we’re excited to keep building on the strong foundation we’ve created.“

Mitre has marked the 30th anniversary of the Ultimax football and has launched the Ultimax Pro 30th Anniversary Ball

British football brand Mitre has celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Ultimax, first used in Premier League matches in 1995.

The Ultimax Pro 30th Anniversary Ball was launched on 19th August, reflecting both the original design and updated technology for modern football.

The Ultimax was the first ball to exceed 100mph, and the Ultimax Pro has been engineered to maintain its legacy.

The design includes a six-panel construction with fewer seams for durability, while the white, blue, and red graphics have returned with metallic gold accents and a pearlised outer finish. A crown and ‘95 infinity logo have marked the ball’s place in football history.

Mitre has also launched a campaign titled ‘The Next In Line’ featuring Raphaella Wright-Phillips at Chelsea, Ruben Butt at Salford City U18s, and Jacob Fowler.

The campaign was shot across London and Manchester by photographer Karis Beaumont and has highlighted the connection between football legacy and the next generation of talent.

Rohaan Nirmalendran, Product & Design Lead at Mitre Sports, said, “The Ultimax is true footballing royalty. Back with a majestic new design and campaign, the Ultimax Pro 30th Anniversary Ball is a thing of beauty.

“Built with category-leading innovation, it lives up to its reputation as one of the most celebrated balls in the game.”

Reading FC have partnered with Landways to deliver an upgraded audio experience at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The partnership marks the start of a technology improvement programme at the stadium.

The first phase, an interim enhancement to the stadium bowl’s audio system, will go live on Saturday, 16th August, for the club’s home league fixture against AFC Wimbledon.

The initial upgrade will provide an immediate improvement to the clarity and volume of matchday announcements and music.

This interim solution will be in place ahead of a full, stadium-wide audio upgrade later in the 2025/26 season. Future enhancements will also be rolled out across hospitality spaces, alongside broader infrastructure upgrades including full stadium Wi-Fi, and new CCTV and video systems.

Rob Couhig, Chairman of Reading FC, said, “We’re excited to begin our partnership with Landways to significantly enhance the matchday experience at the stadium.”

Motherwell Football Club have announced a new partnership with Champagne brand PIAFF for its women’s team.

The agreement will see the PIAFF brand, which is part of the Loch Lomond Group, feature on the sleeve of the women’s first-team home and away kits for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons.

Suzanne Reid, Commercial Director at Motherwell FC, said, “We are delighted to add Champagne PIAFF to our partnership portfolio. The agreement will play a key role in supporting the clubs continued growth and development of the women’s team. It’s fantastic to have another positive, high-value and high-calibre partnership for the future. I thank Loch Lomond Group and Ryon for their support of Motherwell Football Club.”

Newbury Racecourse has opened a new no and low alcohol lounge, named Bar None, in partnership with Thatchers and Lucky Saint.

The new facility has been launched ahead of the venue’s music racedays featuring Björn Again and Clean Bandit. The opening comes as demand for low and no alcohol drinks has reportedly increased by 32% year-on-year.

Bar None will offer products from partners Thatchers and Lucky Saint, alongside soft drinks, smoothies, milkshakes, Wild Idol’s alcohol-free sparkling wine, and a sparkling pressé range from Heartease Farm.

The launch is part of a series of initiatives by the racecourse to improve its food and beverage provision, which has seen racegoer satisfaction increase by nearly 10%.

Shaun Hinds, Chief Executive at Newbury Racecourse, said, ‘ It’s clear from public sentiment that the desire to consume no and low alcohol products is increasing and the opening of Bar None is an exciting step in the Racecourse embracing this appetite.

“We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Thatchers and Lucky Saint for their support and look forward to offering their impressive product ranges in Bar None.’’

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