Kaizer Chiefs sign big new kit sponsorship with Kappa

Premier Soccer League (PSL) giants Kaizer Chiefs have announced Italian sport apparel manufacturer Kappa as their official technical sponsor and licensing partner.

This brings an end to a Amakhosi 's 22-year relationship with Nike after speculation that the two brands were set to part ways. Chiefs signed their first five-year deal with Nike ahead of the 2000-01 season.

Chiefs confirmed on Thursday night they have signed a five-year deal with Kappa, starting from the 2023-24 season.

Chiefs' marketing and commercial director Jessica Motaung said the club is excited to team up with Kappa once again, a brand with Chiefs famously adorned in the early 1990s.

“Kappa, like Kaizer Chiefs, is a unique brand of style and class and one of the key players in the global football kit space,” Motaung said from Italy. “Kappa have had great partnerships with some of the world’s leading football clubs and a number of local teams over the years. This deal is not only an acknowledgment of our past but also an exciting leap into the future for the club.”

Chiefs and Kappa first partnered in 1989, when the Soweto giants wore the chic Italian brand. The Amakhosi team of the early 1990s were a highly successful trophy-winning combination and the partnership is remembered with fondness, especially considering Chiefs' present seven-season barren spell.    

The initial Kappa deal, which lasted until 1996, saw the two brands build a strong and proud heritage, Chiefs said.

Kappa South Africa CEO Michael Joseph said the signing of the new deal with Chiefs has been a target of the company's since they reestablished Kappa's brand in South Africa 12 years ago.

“This partnership is in perfect alignment with our ambition and continuous goals to continue to make Kappa the largest sports brand in Africa,” Joseph said.

“We are thrilled to be once again partnering a club like Kaizer Chiefs whose passion and drive in all aspects matches that of our brand. Not only are they an ambitious club, with a strong identity and uniqueness of elegance and excellence, their fans are their priority.

“Kappa together with Kaizer Chiefs are going to reinstall the romance of the 1990s and deliver something extraordinary to these fans.”

Motaung thanked Nike for their support over two decades.

“It’s uncommon for partnerships to last for over 20 years and we are grateful for the opportunity to have enjoyed a relationship with one of the world’s leading sports brands,” she said.

“We believe the reignited partnership with Kappa will bring about new technical product innovation and exciting designs for our teams and supporters.

“We are looking forward to this new journey with our long-time friends, Kappa, as they embark on reclaiming their position and dominance in the South African football and sports market.”