The English Football Association and Nike have announced a new contract extension, taking their partnership through to 2030. The new 12-year deal will continue to see the Swoosh supply all 24 England teams based at St. George's Park.
It's a strong show of faith from the Swoosh who have so far had little return on the pitch from the Three Lions, who spectacularly flopped at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 European Championships. Throughout Nike's new contract with the FA, the England Men's Senior Team will have another eight opportunities to end that trophy drought, starting at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, should they qualify of course. The current contract ends after the 2030 World Cup, where Marcus Rashford (who was England's youngest player at EURO 16) will be 32. Wayne Rooney will be 44, and probably still shoe-horned into a deep-lying midfield role.
The FA is a not-for-profit organisation and this new deal will represent a significant investment across English football and further support grassroots initiatives and the growth of the women’s game throughout the country. Stability for England and another asset to Nike's growing apparel game, having recently announced a deal to take on Chelsea next season, as well being close to tieing up a partnership with Tottenham Hotspur. Nike are playing the long-game with England, and after securing the deal with the FA in 2013 they sure as hell don't want to miss out on the off chance of England lifting silverware in their branded shirts – a feat that will result in obvious return.
Nike are backing England for a long-awaited big tournament performance.
Nike, of course, host their 'Nike Academy' at England's St. George's Park base and the new deal will no doubt see them stay in place there for the foreseeable future. For the England National Team, they'll be donning the Swoosh next to the Three Lions for the foreseeable future too. Will it be fourteen more years of hurt? Fourteen more years of penalty heartache in the quarter finals? Those were the good old days, we'd take them back in a heartbeat. EURO 2028, that's our time. We'll win it wearing invisible, flying Nike Superfly boots, made in space. Probs.
