Ziggo to end Ajax shirt sponsorship after 12 years
June 19, 2026 12.36 Europe/London By Julian Clover


VodafoneZiggo has confirmed it will not renew its main sponsorship agreement with Ajax when the current deal expires at the end of the 2026/27 season, bringing to a close one of the longest-running partnerships in Dutch football.

The telecommunications operator’s Ziggo brand has appeared on Ajax shirts since January 2015 and will remain the club’s principal sponsor until 1 July 2027. By announcing its decision a year in advance, Ajax now has additional time to secure a replacement sponsor for the 2027/28 season.

The partnership has spanned some of the most successful periods in Ajax’s recent history, including multiple Eredivisie titles and the club’s run to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in 2019. Ziggo became Ajax’s fourth shirt sponsor, following TDK, ABN AMRO and Aegon, and is the club’s second-longest serving principal sponsor after ABN AMRO.

Cas Biesta, Commercial Director of Ajax, said: “We are very grateful to Ziggo for their trust, support and commitment throughout all these years, both in good times and in less good times. Together, we have built a strong, innovative and visible partnership, in which we have continuously sought new ways to bring our fans and Ziggo’s customers and business partners closer to the club.”

Robin Kroes, Director of Consumer Market at VodafoneZiggo, said the decision reflects the company’s evolving brand strategy. “After a long and successful period, this is a logical moment, in line with our strategy, to make room for new brand and partnership initiatives that go beyond football.”

The companies stressed that the partnership remains active throughout the final season, with fan promotions, exclusive content through Ziggo Sport and customer activations planned during the 2026/27 campaign.

Earlier this year, Ziggo demonstrated its continuing commitment to the partnership by providing all 54,000 supporters attending Ajax’s first home match of 2026 against Go Ahead Eagles with a commemorative Ajax scarf. Players also wore shirts bearing the slogan “my club, our everything” as part of a campaign linked to Ziggo’s new brand positioning, “the always everything network”.

For VodafoneZiggo, the move marks the end of one of the Netherlands’ most visible sports sponsorships and comes as telecom operators increasingly reassess major sports marketing investments amid changing media consumption habits and evolving brand priorities.