Burnley had to make a big change to their kit just hours before their Championship opener against West Ham.
Burnley found themselves in a tricky situation just before their Championship opener against West Ham United. Both teams, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, will clash at Turf Moor on Sunday, August 16, as they aim to start their season with a win and push for promotion.
Since both teams wear claret shirts, West Ham will need to wear their white away kit for the match. Burnley will stick to their traditional claret colors, but they faced an unexpected last-minute change with their shirt sponsor.
Burnley’s original sponsor, Finotive One, will no longer appear on their shirts, even though some fans have already bought shirts with the logo. The club announced on Thursday, August 13, that their deal with Finotive had ended after less than two months.
The club’s statement said: “Burnley Football Club is disappointed to confirm that its agreement with Finotive has been terminated. We have acted quickly to protect the Club and our supporters while keeping preparations for the new season on track.”
Instead, Burnley will now have Vertu, a UK car retailer, as their new shirt sponsor. Fans who already bought shirts with Finotive One have three choices: swap them for a shirt with the Vertu logo, get Vertu printed on their current shirt, or ask for a refund.
Burnley has a good partnership with Vertu, who support local community projects in Burnley and East Lancashire. Vertu was also the club’s official automotive partner, with their logo on the back of Burnley’s shirts last season.
Another club statement shared: “Burnley Football Club is happy to announce Vertu as our new official front-of-shirt partner for the 2026/27 season. This new deal builds on our existing relationship, which started in 2022/23, and Vertu’s logo will be on the men’s, women’s, and academy first team shirts from today.”
After playing West Ham, Burnley will face West Brom at the Hawthorns on August 23 before hosting Norwich City at Turf Moor. They also have matches against Middlesbrough, Bristol City, Wrexham, Swansea, and Derby County in September.
Right now, the Clarets are seen as strong contenders for promotion by many bookmakers.