Essendon Unifies All Programs Under PUMA with Expanded AFLW Deal

The Essendon Football Club has announced an expansion of its partnership with PUMA, officially naming the global sports brand as the Club’s AFLW Apparel Partner through to at least the end of 2028.

This agreement represents a mechanical necessity for the club’s “One Club” strategy, uniting all five Essendon football program – AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW, and VWFL – under a single apparel brand for the first time.

The expansion comes as the Bombers prepare for the 2026 NAB AFLW Season, which is scheduled to commence on Sunday, 9 August. The deal ensures technical alignment across the entire high-performance department, providing the AFLW squad with access to PUMA’s elite performance and innovation-led apparel ranges.

Essendon chief operating officer, Nick Ryan highlighted that the AFLW program has become a leading destination within the league. 

“The Club is incredibly proud to have all five teams united under the one apparel brand, particularly with a global leader like PUMA.

“It reflects the unity across the Club and marks another step forward through this partnership.”

“The AFLW program continues to grow into a leading destination within the league… PUMA’s involvement is a strong endorsement of that growth,” Ryan said. 

The announcement arrives just as Essendon’s 2026 coaching panel, led by Senior Coach Brad Scott, has been finalised to include new development coaches such as former Bulldog Toby McLean and recent retiree Todd Goldstein. 

Expressing his enthusiasm about the partnership, director of marketing, PUMA Oceania, Neysa Goh, noted: “PUMA is proud to extend our partnership with Essendon Football Club to incorporate the AFLW program, reinforcing our continued commitment to the growth of women’s football in Australia,”

“Through a shared focus on performance, innovation and the future of the game, we’re excited to support the club as the AFLW competition continues to inspire the next generation,” Goh said.

High-Performance Focus

PUMA’s technical range for the 2026 season will continue to focus on athlete-specific engineering. Earlier this year, PUMA unveiled the club’s 2026 guernseys, featuring the iconic red-on-black sash for home games and a fan-voted black-on-red clash kit.

The extension ensures the AFLW playing group will benefit from the same high-performance fabrics and ergonomic designs utilised by the AFL squad.

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