July 9 – Everton have expanded their sponsorship portfolio for the third time this week after naming luxury watchmaker Christopher Ward as the club’s first official training kit partner. 

The multi-year agreement further strengthens a relationship that has quickly grown since Christopher Ward first joined Everton as the club’s global timing partner. The brand is already the shirt sleeve sponsor, a founding partner of Hill Dickinson Stadium and a commercial partner of Everton Women and Everton in the Community. 

That sleeve spot has now been taken by former front-of-shirt partner Stake, given the Premier League’s incoming restrictions on gambling sponsors, relegating the watch brand to the training kit. 

From the start of next season, its branding will feature across the men’s and women’s first-team training kit, extending to the academy next year. The agreement also includes branding across Everton’s training ground, matchday inventory and retail training wear. 

The club confirmed financial services firm CMC Markets as their new front-of-shirt sponsor last week. 

Andrew Middleton, Everton’s President of Business Operations, said: “Christopher Ward has been a bold, innovative and committed partner to Everton, and we are delighted to see that relationship continue to grow through this landmark agreement. 

“Becoming our first official training kit partner is a significant step. It not only reflects the strength of the partnership, but places Christopher Ward directly within the environment where our teams prepare, develop and strive for excellence every day, while also providing valuable global exposure through training and matchday activity. 

“From its role as a Founding Partner of Hill Dickinson Stadium, to the creation of 53° North and their support for Everton Women and Everton in the Community, Christopher Ward has consistently shown a genuine understanding of this club, our supporters and our ambitions for the future. 

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with Mike France and the Christopher Ward team as we build on this partnership and explore new opportunities together during this exciting next chapter for the club.” 

Mike France, Christopher Ward’s CEO and co-founder, added: “We believe that excellence is built on the smallest details – whether in the precision of a mechanical watch or the marginal gains that define elite football. 

“Becoming Everton’s first training kit partner feels like a natural next step in our journey together. It builds on our presence both on and off matchday by embedding us even further into the club – in the daily environment where performance is really shaped, behind the scenes on the training ground. 

“That’s something we recognise deeply in watchmaking: the discipline, precision and constant refinement that sits beneath the surface. There’s a genuine alignment between our worlds, built on timing and a relentless drive to improve.” 

Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]