Why don't Chelsea or Sunderland have a shirt sponsor?

What the report says

BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team reports that Chelsea and Sunderland are the only Premier League clubs set to begin the 2026-27 season without a front-of-shirt sponsor. The piece says Chelsea are still negotiating a long-term deal and believe the process normally takes time, while Sunderland have yet to secure a replacement after their agreement with gambling firm W88 ended.

For Chelsea, BBC Sport says the club’s commercial outlook has been affected by uneven results on the pitch and by the reduced visibility that comes with missing out on regular Champions League football. The report notes that industry estimates have varied, but that Chelsea are understood to be seeking a fee in the range of £50m to £55m per season. It also says the club’s long Nike kit deal, worth £900m over 15 years, is now viewed as below current market value. Chelsea have used short-term sponsors in recent seasons, including IFS, Infinite Athlete and Damac, while starting the campaign with a blank shirt has become a recurring pattern.

Sunderland’s situation is tied to a wider Premier League change: clubs have agreed to remove gambling companies from the front of shirts by the end of the 2025-26 season. BBC Sport says the Black Cats are still in discussions over a new sponsor, and that the club has not yet finalised a replacement. The article adds that gambling branding may still appear in other places, such as sleeves and perimeter advertising.