The Essendon Football Club has inked a new multi-year partnership with financial platform Airwallex, who join the club as a co-major partner.
As a co-major partner, the Airwallex logo will feature prominently on the front of Essendon’s iconic red and black AFL playing and training guernseys, as well as across the club’s digital, match-day, and community assets.
To mark the launch, Essendon and Airwallex took over Industry Beans in Fitzroy, recreating the founding inspiration of the original Tukk & Co café, where the Airwallex founders first envisioned the platform.
This was a humble nod to Airwallex’s beginnings. Founded in a Melbourne café in 2015, Airwallex has grown from a local startup into a global financial platform.
However, Airwallex is still deeply connected to its Australian heritage, extending the Aussie success story to Singapore and San Francisco where it has now established dual headquarters. This partnership, based in Airwallex’s founding city of Melbourne, represents the company’s first major sports sponsorship in Australia.
The partnership brings together two high-performing organisations with a shared mission of ‘Building the Future.’
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This is a partnership built on the shared drive to achieve something great. It’s a mutual commitment to backing the next generation of talent and pushing the limits to reach the top, whether that’s on the field or in the global digital economy.
The partnership aligns with Essendon’s 2026 ‘Fly Together’ vision, which is centred on a young, emerging playing list. Just as Airwallex empowers the next generation of businesses, the Bombers are building for long-term success through talents like Nate Caddy, Archie Roberts, and Isaac Kako.
Essendon President Andrew Welsh said the club was thrilled to welcome a partner that mirrors its own ambitious vision.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Airwallex, a homegrown Melbourne success story that has successfully taken on the global stage,” Welsh said.
“Both the Bombers and Airwallex are in a period of exciting transformation. While they are building the future of global finance, we are building the future of our football club. It was vital for us to align with a partner that values speed, innovation and community. Airwallex won’t just be a prominent part of our guernsey, they will provide the tools to help our club run more efficiently as a modern sports business.
“We are proud to join Airwallex’s elite global sports portfolio alongside the likes of McLaren Racing, Arsenal FC, the Blues and the San Francisco Giants. We look forward to connecting with these global teams to share insights that benefit our players, coaches, and staff.”
Essendon will integrate Airwallex’s financial infrastructure into its own commercial operations, specifically leveraging its Spend and Expense Management solution. By deploying corporate cards and automated reimbursement workflows, the Bombers will streamline team spending and gain real-time visibility into club overheads, ensuring the organisation is at the forefront of evolving payment systems and finance.
“Melbourne is where Airwallex was founded, and where Essendon has built one of the great legacies in Australian sport,” said James Teodorini, head of ANZ at Airwallex.
“Essendon’s history is clear. What’s exciting now is the next phase with a young core, long-term belief, and a clear commitment to building sustained success.
“For Airwallex, this is the right moment to back that journey. We’ve moved into the next phase of our growth, operating at a global scale and building the infrastructure that will shape the future of finance.
“This partnership is about supporting what comes next – for the club, for the city, and for modern Australian business.”
Airwallex will also become a key fixture of the EFC Business Network, supporting new B2B opportunities for the club’s broader corporate community.
