Puma will end its sponsorship of Israel’s national football team in 2024, a decision the brand said was made before Hamas’ October 7 attack. Puma has faced boycotts over its sponsorship.
Following a strategy review carried out at the end of 2022, Puma planned to stop outfitting the Israeli team in 2024 as part of its “fewer-bigger-better strategy” to focus on “fewer and more higher-profile partnerships,” the company said in a media statement.
“While two newly signed national teams, including a new statement team, will be announced later this year and in 2024, the contracts of some federations such as Serbia and Israel will expire in 2024,” Puma said. “These decisions were taken in 2022 in line with the regular timelines for the design (and) development of the team jerseys,”
The Financial Times was the first news agency to report on Puma’s decision to end its sponsorship of Israel’s national football team.
The deal with Israel, signed in 2018, prompted calls to boycott the sportswear brand. Campaigners accused Puma of endorsing illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank through its deal with the Israeli FA, which includes teams from the occupied Palestinian territory. Boycott calls intensified and expanded to more companies and products following Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip since Hamas’ attack in southern Israel.
Despite Puma’s claims, Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) celebrated Puma’s decision on social media.
