Hawthorn and KFC Announce Five-Year Partnership Extension

Hawthorn Football Club has officially secured a five-year extension of its partnership with global restaurant giant KFC.

Serving as a Premier Partner across both the club’s AFL and AFLW programs, the long-term renewal ensures commercial continuity, carrying the relationship into a milestone 10th year since KFC first joined the Hawthorn network in 2021.

The multi-year agreement reinforces KFC’s position as a foundational commercial pillar for the club, driving integrated brand awareness through premium kit inventory, match-day signage, and hospitality offerings.

Commenting on the extension, Hawthorn chief commercial officer, Jo Gilbert, said: “We are delighted to extend our long-running partnership with KFC for a further five years.”

“Since joining the Hawthorn family in 2021, KFC has played a significant role in supporting the Club’s AFL and AFLW programs, while also helping create fun and memorable experiences and content for our members and fans.

“Hawthorn and KFC are both iconic brands in their own right, and even stronger together. We look forward to building on our shared success and continuing to grow together for another five years,” Gilbert said. 

KFC chief marketing officer, Vanessa Rowed, highlighted the sports marketing synergy and shared future trajectory driving the brand’s sustained investment.

“Hawthorn is an iconic club with a bold future, and we’re thrilled to be backing the brown and gold for another five years.”

“Footy has always been a huge part of KFC’s DNA, and our partnership just keeps getting better,” Rowed stated.

Commercial Asset Allocation & Kit Inventory

The extension guarantees prominent asset placement across the club’s physical, digital, and match-day real estate, spanning both the men’s and women’s elite football divisions:

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