Garmin joins Saints as official men’s sleeve sponsor for 2025/26 Season

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Image Credit: Vitalii Vitleo / Shutterstock.com

Southampton has announced it’s continuing its partnership with leading fitness technology brand Garmin, who will join as the Official Sleeve Sponsor for the men’s first team.

This latest announcement builds on the successful partnership between the two organisations last season, which saw Garmin feature as the back-of-shirt sponsor during the EFL Cup and included support for the launch of Garmin’s flagship store in Southampton’s Westquay Shopping Centre.

The store, Garmin’s only retail location in the UK, showcases the brand’s full range of consumer electronics, from smartwatches and cycling computers to golf devices and products for automotive and marine use.

As part of the renewed partnership, Garmin’s logo will appear on the sleeve of the Men’s First Team kit, and fans will also have the opportunity to add the logo to their 2025/26 shirts in-store, while stocks last.

Coaches from both our Men’s and Women’s teams will be using Garmin products during training, including the brand’s premium smartwatch, the fēnix 8.

Garmin’s technology will also play a key role in supporting our Sports Science department.

Jon Oliver, Managing Director for Garmin UK & Ireland, said the partnership with Southampton FC supports Garmin’s mission to promote health, fitness, and community in a city they proudly call home.

“As a company with deep roots in Southampton, we’re proud to continue our relationship with Southampton Football Club and become the Official Men’s Sleeve Sponsor for the 2025/26 season,” he said in a press release.

“For us, this is about more than sport, it’s about celebrating shared values around health, fitness, and community. With our European Headquarters based here, we’re passionate about inspiring people locally to lead active lifestyles and connect through movement.

“Supporting Saints allows us to strengthen that mission in the heart of a city we’re proud to call home.”

Greg Bakerv, Southampton Chief Revenue Officer, said the expanded partnership with Garmin as Official Sleeve Sponsor reflects shared values of innovation and performance, and will deliver greater benefits across the club.

“We’re pleased to be expanding our campaign with Garmin and welcoming them as our Official Sleeve Sponsor for the Men’s First Team,” he said in a press release.

“Garmin’s innovation and performance-driven approach aligns perfectly with our values at Southampton, and this next chapter in our relationship will bring even more benefits to our players, staff, and fans.

“From enhancing our training capabilities with cutting-edge technology to deepening engagement across the club, this collaboration continues to go from strength to strength.”

Together, Southampton FC and Garmin are building on shared values to drive innovation on the pitch, support player performance, and strengthen community connections for seasons to come.

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GIS and ACPE join forces to strengthen football coaching and tactical development

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The Global Institute of Sport (GIS) and Australian College of Physical Education (ACPE) will support Hills Football Association in delivering a specialist coaching workshop designed to improve player development, tactical understanding and performance analysis.

Taking place on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, at the ACPE campus in Sydney Olympic Park, the workshop will bring together experienced football coaches and performance analysts to explore practical approaches to developing players’ tactical awareness, decision-making and understanding of the game.

Titled Developing and Supporting Players’ Tactical Understanding, the event will run from 6pm to 8.30pm and feature two workshops focused on translating coaching theory and performance analysis into practical learning environments.

Former Matildas head coach Tom Sermanni, who has also led the national women’s teams of the United States, Canada and New Zealand, will present the first session, Working with International Players.

The workshop will examine how coaches can design training sessions that develop tactical execution under realistic match conditions, with an emphasis on practice design, player decision-making and effective coaching behaviours.

The second session, From Video to Understanding, will be facilitated by experienced performance analysts from GIS and ACPE.

Participants will explore how match footage can be used to strengthen tactical learning, encourage player reflection and develop independent decision-making.

The session will also examine how coaches can structure effective video reviews that align with coaching objectives and a team’s playing model.

Supporting the next generation of football coaches

The initiative highlights the growing importance of combining traditional coaching methods with modern performance analysis to support player development across Australian football.

As clubs and football organisations increasingly seek to improve coaching standards, access to practical education and industry expertise remains an important component of developing more effective learning environments.

The workshop is designed for coaches seeking player-centred approaches that encourage footballers to read the game, understand tactical situations and make better decisions on the pitch.

Participants will receive two hours of Football Australia Continuing Professional Development (CPD) recognition.

For GIS, the collaboration provides another opportunity to connect its specialist sports education and analytics expertise with the practical demands of football coaching.

The institute delivers postgraduate sports education through online learning and stadium-based campuses internationally, including Sydney’s Allianz Stadium and SCG.

Its Sydney offering includes the Master of Sports Analytics and Master of International Sports Business, supporting the development of professionals across the sporting industry.

ACPE, established in 1917 and based at Sydney Olympic Park, brings extensive experience in sport, health and physical education, with a strong emphasis on industry-focused learning and practical professional development.

Together with Hills Football Association, the two education providers aim to equip coaches with practical knowledge that can be applied directly within their football environments.

Event details

  • Event: Developing and Supporting Players’ Tactical Understanding
  • Date: Wednesday, 21 October 2026
  • Time: 6pm to 8.30pm
  • Venue: ACPE Campus, 10 Parkview Drive, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127
  • Presenter: Tom Sermanni
  • Facilitators: Performance analysts from ACPE and GIS
  • CPD: Two hours of Football Australia Continuing Professional Development

Coaches interested in attending are encouraged to register through the event’s official registration channel.

For more information about the education providers, visit Global Institute of Sport and Australian College of Physical Education.

Football NSW backs 20 female coaches with qualification scholarships

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has supported 20 female coaches to complete their AFC/Football Australia C Diploma qualification in 2026, using scholarships funded through Football Australia and CommBank’s Growing Football Fund to reduce the cost of coach education.

The initiative included a dedicated female-only C Diploma course delivered by Football NSW in April and May, attended by 13 coaches. An additional seven received support to complete courses closer to their local communities, improving access for coaches across metropolitan and regional New South Wales.

Football NSW Head of Women’s and Schools Football Hayley Todd said the scholarships had helped address a key barrier to coaching development.

“These scholarships have helped remove a significant barrier for many female coaches seeking to progress their coaching journey,” Todd said.

Todd said the combination of a female-only course and support for locally accessible qualifications had created pathways for 20 women to develop their skills and contribute to football in their communities.

The program reflects an ongoing challenge for the sport: increasing women’s participation also requires investment in the coaches who lead teams, develop players and help shape club environments.

By helping cover qualification costs, the scholarships give recipients an opportunity to strengthen their coaching knowledge and leadership capabilities while expanding the pool of qualified female coaches available to clubs.

The support also connects to the wider Growing Football Fund, a joint Football Australia and CommBank initiative aimed at creating more opportunities for women and girls in the game.

The fund’s community grant program offers eligible clubs and associations grants of up to $5,000 to help attract or retain women and girls in football, with applications for the 2026–27 round closing on 20 October 2026.

The governing body also offers Women in Football Coaching Scholarships worth 50 per cent of course costs, with applications limited.

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