After all eyes were glued to the Women’s FIFA World Cup last year, Puma has jumped at the chance to kit out New Zealand’s football teams in Puma gear. Puma’s sponsorship of the Women’s Legacy team during the WWC got them their foot in the door. Though Nike’s 2023 gear is still for sale in the New Zealand Football store, Puma will take over in February 2024.
Puma has become king of New Zealand’s football kits after their applauded support of the women’s legacy team during the WWC 23.
What’s in the Bag?
New Zealand Football has put another feather in its sponsorship cap, landing Puma as its latest kit sponsor. Puma takes over from Nike, ending their two-decade partnership in one fell swoop. Puma will design and manufacture training wear, and both home and international game kits. Every women’s and men’s team will be covered, down to youth under-17s. NZ’s national esports team and their futsal teams are now also included in the contract.
Andrew Pragnell, CEO of New Zealand Football said, “This is an exciting new partnership that will take our national teams and New Zealand Football to the next level. Football is the biggest participation sport in the country and this partnership will give it the support it deserves to continue that amazing growth.”
The tradition of the national teams wearing one black and one white kit while away from Aotearoa will continue. The black kit will have matching black shorts, whereas the white will have the option of white or teal shorts. Patrons can still purchase old-school Nike gear in the NZ Football store. From mid-March, Puma’s 24-25 gear will be available to buy in men’s, women’s and children’s sizes.
The kit will continue to have the fern motif, sitting on a black and grey camouflage background.
The Ford Football Ferns wore their new Puma kits for the first time in Samoa, during their qualifying match for the August Paris Olympics. They opted for the black kit, winning 3-0 against Tonga. The match was held at the F.F.S. Football Stadium in Tuanaimato, Samoa.
Puma’s Global Director of Sports Marketing & Licensed Products, Johan Adamsson, said, “We are excited by the ambition of NZF and look forward to pursuing success on the international stage together.”
“We are thrilled to be able to continue the growth of the beautiful game in the Oceania region.”
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How Puma Got NZF’s Attention
NZF has racked up a prestigious list of sponsors, Ford came on board for the women’s team in 2021. McDonalds Restaurants is another big name they have supporting them. Until 2023 Nike was the exclusive apparel provider and it’s no mean feat that Puma knocked them out of contention once the recent contract ended.
The Women’s FIFA World Cup in 2023 had a noticeable lack of Legacy members included in activities. This caused great confusion among players and coaches old and new. It appeared to be a higher-level organiser oversite. Players and those in the know were able to swing free tickets to games for Legacy players, but there was no official inclusion of them by FIFA or NZF.
Puma, noticing the deficit, swung into action. Puma organised a legacy match, between the first Australian and New Zealand women’s football (soccer to Australians) teams. This allowed them to get their logos on the chest of NZ women’s football apparel for the first time. They also helped the original teams to fundraise for children’s football.
Puma impressed the women’s football teams at a grassroots level. Many believe that the respect shown by Puma to the oldest members caused the players and coaches to push for Puma to take over from Nike.
