Lechia Gdańsk secures LV BET as new front-of-shirt sponsor

Avatar
Image Credit: Dziurek / Shutterstock.com

Lechia Gdańsk has confirmed LV BET as the club’s new front-of-shirt sponsor, ending a nearly two-year period without a major shirt partner. The announcement comes ahead of the team’s upcoming clash with GKS Katowice and marks a significant expansion of the club’s partnership with the Polish betting company, which first came on board as a sleeve sponsor in January 2025.

This milestone not only addresses one of the most visible commercial gaps in Polish football but also represents a turning point in Lechia’s broader commercial recovery following a challenging period marked by financial instability and relegation.

A Fresh Start After a Lengthy Gap

Lechia Gdańsk has been without a major shirt sponsor since mid-2023, when its previous deal with eToro came to an end. The absence of a lead sponsor had become a symbol of the club’s off-field struggles and downturn in performance.

The agreement with LV BET signals a fresh chapter for the club, representing its first major sponsorship deal since embarking on a rebuild in the Polish second division.

Rapid Growth in Partnership

LV BET began its association with Lechia on 31 January 2025, initially featuring on the team’s sleeves, in-stadium signage, and across digital marketing assets. In just four months, the relationship has grown significantly, culminating in a full upgrade to front-of-shirt sponsor status.

Having operated in the Polish betting market since 2016, LV BET now takes on the role of Lechia’s principal commercial partner, with increased visibility across merchandise, digital channels, and fan engagement platforms.

Lechia’s Commercial Director, Paweł Kokosza, said the rapid growth of the alliance with LV BET reflects a shared commitment to long-term success.

“When we started working with LV BET in January, it was an important step and a chance to build something long-term,” he said via press release.

“Seeing our partner increase their commitment so soon and appear on the front of the shirt is a great signal.”

Strategic Boost for Club and Sponsor

The timing of this deal is pivotal, as Lechia Gdańsk continues its efforts to regain stability both on and off the field. The collaboration provides a welcome financial injection and strengthens the club’s profile as it seeks to attract additional sponsors and commercial allies.

For LV BET, the move reflects a strategic commitment to regional football clubs with passionate supporter bases and long-term growth potential.

CEO of LV BET, Marcin Doszczeczko, said the decision to step up as main sponsor reflects the company’s strong belief in the club’s direction and leadership.

“We entered this project with belief in the club’s potential and the people behind it,” he said via press release.

“Taking the main sponsor role is a natural continuation of that vision.”

This partnership marks a promising new chapter for Lechia Gdańsk, signalling renewed commercial stability and shared ambition as both club and sponsor look to build a successful future together.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Football NSW announces 2026 First Nations Scholarships as pathway access program enters new phase

Avatar
Image Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has announced the recipients of its 2026 First Nations Scholarships, with ten emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from metropolitan and regional NSW receiving support designed to reduce the financial and structural barriers that have historically limited First Nations participation across the football pathway.

The scholarship program, developed and assessed in collaboration with the Football NSW Indigenous Advisory Group, targets players across both elite and development environments – recognising that talent identification alone is insufficient without the resources to support progression once players are identified.

Co-Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Group Bianca Dufty said the calibre of this year’s recipients reflected the depth of First Nations football talent across the state, and the importance of structured support in converting that talent into long-term participation.

“Their dedication to football and the desire to be role models for younger Aboriginal footballers in their communities is to be celebrated,” Dufty said. “I’m confident we will see some of these talented footballers in the A-League and national teams in the future.”

 

Beyond the pitch and into the pipeline

The 2026 cohort spans both metropolitan clubs and regional associations, an intentional distribution that acknowledges the particular barriers facing First Nations players outside major population centres, where access to development programs, qualified coaching and pathway competitions is more limited and the cost of participation more prohibitive.

The next phase of the program will introduce First Nations coaching scholarships, extending the initiative’s reach beyond playing pathways and into the coaching and administration pipeline – areas where Indigenous representation remains among the lowest in the game.

The structural logic is clear. Scholarships that reduce financial barriers at the entry point of elite pathways matter most when they are part of a sustained ecosystem of support rather than isolated gestures. Football NSW’s collaboration with the Indigenous Advisory Group provides that continuity, ensuring the program is shaped by the communities it is designed to serve.

Football NSW Targets Female Coaching Gap with Twin Programs

Avatar
Image Credit: Football NSW

Football NSW has announced two new initiatives targeting the development of female coaches and coach education tutors, backed by federal and state government funding, as the governing body moves to address the longstanding structural absence of women across all levels of coaching in the sport.

The Future Female Coaches Mentoring Program, funded through the NSW Office of Sport’s Empower Her program, will select six female coaches holding a minimum AFC B Diploma for a structured mentoring program beginning mid-year. Participants will be paired with experienced mentors and receive three in-person visits including real-time observation and feedback, alongside regular online development sessions throughout the season.

Separately, Football NSW has opened expressions of interest for its 2026/27 Female Coach Education Tutor (CET) Program, supported by the Australian Federal Government’s Play Our Way investment, targeting C Diploma holders who want to move into coach education delivery.

Together, the programs address two distinct but connected gaps in the women’s football coaching pipeline- the progression from active coach to elite-level practitioner, and the transition from practitioner to the tutors who shape how coaching is taught.

The Pipeline Problem

The structural underrepresentation of women in football coaching isn’t a new observation. It is a documented and persistent feature of the game at every level, from community clubs to national team environments. Female coaches remain a minority in pathway competitions, and female coach education tutors are even more so.

One current tutor in the program described the environment she encountered when she came through the system. “My experience coming through as a coach, there was no females on the courses as participants and there was no females running the courses either,” she said. “That kind of inspires me to be someone that can hopefully make other females feel comfortable and confident to want to become coaches.”

“It is really important to have female role models because it shows that there is an opportunity or pathway for females,” said one program participant. “Traditionally it has been a male-dominated area and to know that yes, you can do it as a passion or a side thing, or you can actually make a career of it if you want.”

Removing barriers at the point of entry

The mentoring program’s design reflects an understanding that formal accreditation alone is insufficient to retain and develop female coaches in high-performance environments. Access to experienced mentors, observation in live coaching contexts and ongoing reflective practice address the informal development gaps that credentials cannot fill.

“Learning happens through coaching in real environments, and we recognise our role in providing both stretch and support to high-potential coaches,” said Edward Ferguson, Football NSW Head of Football Development. “This program offers tailored mentoring that complements formal coach education and enhances effectiveness in practice.”

Hayley Todd, Football NSW Head of Womens and Schools Football, framed the initiative in terms of long-term system building rather than individual development. “Creating sustainable pathways for female coaches is a key priority,” she said. “This program supports their development while also providing valuable insight into what is required to progress from state competitions into national and international environments.”

The barriers the programs are designed to remove are clear. The cost of accreditation, lack of access to mentoring networks, the absence of welcoming environments in coaching courses and the scarcity of female role models at senior levels all compound one another in ways that make progression difficult regardless of ability or commitment.

“You want to try and remove as many barriers as possible,” said one tutor involved in the program. “If you can start to remove those barriers, you actually get to engage with the females more consistently and build their confidence and competence in that space.”

A system investing in itself

The timing of both announcements sits within a broader national moment for women’s football. The AFC Women’s Asian Cup, currently underway in Australia, has delivered record crowds and sustained visibility for the female game at the elite level. The programs announced this week operate at the other end of the pipeline – building the coaching infrastructure that will determine whether the players inspired by that visibility have qualified, experienced and representative coaches to develop them.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend