FA Inks £400M, 12-Year Extension Of Kit Deal With Nike

Nike has reportedly agreed to a £400M ($507M) extension to its relationship with the FA "in what is one of the biggest national kit deals in history," according to Tony Connelly of THE DRUM. The U.S. sports brand will be the official kit supplier for all of England’s national teams "after agreeing to a 12-year extension with the FA, the biggest deal in the governing body’s history." The current contract with the FA is set to expire after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, "meaning the new deal will see Nike continue to supply England’s kits" until '30. The new deal "marks a modest improvement on the existing arrangement and, for the first time, includes several contingency clauses, including a financial penalty if the senior men's team fail to qualify for major tournaments." An official announcement is still pending, however "if the figures are correct the deal would rank second only to the German national team’s kit sponsorship" with adidas (THE DRUM, 12/6).