Essendon Secures Airwallex as Co-Major Partner in Landmark Multi-Year Deal

Essendon Football Club has announced a multi-year co-major partnership with global financial platform Airwallex.

The agreement, which marks the Melbourne-founded fintech’s first major sports sponsorship in Australia, will see the Airwallex logo take a prominent position on the front of the Bombers’ iconic red and black AFL playing and training guernseys.

Beyond the apparel branding, the partnership includes a deep integration of Airwallex’s financial infrastructure into Essendon’s commercial operations.

The club will deploy the platform’s Spend and Expense Management solutions, including corporate cards and automated reimbursement workflows, to streamline internal overheads and enhance real-time financial visibility.

Commenting on the partnership, Essendon president, Andrew Welsh, said: “We are incredibly proud to partner with Airwallex, a homegrown Melbourne success story that has successfully taken on the global stage.”

“While they are building the future of global finance, we are building the future of our football club.

“Airwallex won’t just be a prominent part of our guernsey, they will provide the tools to help our club run more efficiently as a modern sports business,” Welsh said.

Noting that the timing was right to back Essendon’s journey as they rebuild with a young core, head of ANZ at Airwallex, James Teodorini, expressed: “Melbourne is where Airwallex was founded, and where Essendon has built one of the great legacies in Australian sport.”

“This partnership is about supporting what comes next – for the club, for the city, and for modern Australian business,” Teodorini said. 

Essendon and Airwallex

The partnership aligns with Essendon’s 2026 ‘Fly Together’ vision, focusing on a young, emerging playing list.

By joining Airwallex’s elite global sports portfolio, which includes McLaren Racing, Arsenal FC, the San Francisco Giants, and the Blues, the Bombers aim to facilitate knowledge-sharing between these international powerhouses to benefit players and staff alike.

From Startup to Global Powerhouse

Airwallex was founded in a Melbourne café in 2015 and has since expanded to dual headquarters in Singapore and San Francisco. The launch event was held this morning at Industry Beans in Fitzroy, a nod to the original café where the founders first envisioned the platform.

Airwallex will also become a central fixture of the EFC Business Network, opening new business-to-business (B2B) opportunities for the club’s broader corporate community and members.

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