Footballco select Charlton Athletic for Groundbreaking Content Partnership

Charlton Athletic and global football content and media company Footballco have joined forces on a new industry-leading sponsorship partnership that will give brands the opportunity to reach the coveted Gen-Z demographic.

The London club has been selected to partner with Footballco because of the Addicks’ position as the leading social purpose football organisation in the UK. The Charlton Athletic Community Trust is the biggest UK club charity; it has long been the foremost EDI [equality, diversity and inclusion] club in the country, and it is ranked sixth in the English Football League for sustainability. Its Academy – which draws its players from the streets of South London – ranks eighth in England, whilst Charlton Athletic Women’s Football Club currently stands top of the second tier.

For its part, Footballco - which has a monthly worldwide audience of 800 million fans - is home to a range of global, local and community football content brands, including GOAL, MUNDIAL, INDIVISA and Front Three.

Footballco president, Stefano d’Anna, said: “Charlton Athletic is an extraordinary organisation that demonstrates the power of football to inspire hope and transform communities. Its position within the multi-cultural communities of inner-city London gives it a rich flavour of authentic street football, reflected in the back stories of many of its young players.

“We have done extensive research into what both Gen Z consumers and brands want from football. And the Charlton vibe is what it is all about: urban, diverse, fun, aspirational content which tells authentic stories without the pomposity that can be associated with professional football clubs. After hearing on the industry grapevine about the ambitions and purpose of Charlton’s new owners, we felt that this would be the right partnership to really crack the Gen Z audience.”

Global Football Partners (GFP) took over Charlton Athletic and Charlton Athletic Women’s Football Club in July 2023. GFP co-owner Charlie Methven said: “This partnership has been six months in the making, and we are delighted that it has come to fruition. The depth of Footballco’s research and market knowledge has impressed us immensely, and the choice of Charlton to be their first club partner is a great validation for all parts of our organisation, including our wonderful community trust, our brilliant boys and girls academies, as well as CAFC and CAWFC themselves. Our executive teams thoroughly look forward to working with Footballco to produce exciting new content which will re-define how football can engage with a new generation of fans around the world.”

The strategic venture will see Charlton and Footballco going to market together, combining the rich brand identity of Charlton with Footballco’s huge audience and deep understanding of fan behaviour. Unlike traditional approaches to sponsorships, Charlton Athletic and Footballco’s partnership will enable brands to leverage both entities’ offerings through a single package.