Airwallex has signed a multi-year co-major partnership with Essendon Football Club, marking the financial platform’s first major sports sponsorship in Australia.

The agreement puts the Airwallex logo on the front of Essendon’s AFL playing and training guernseys. Branding will also feature across the club’s digital channels, match-day inventory and community assets.

The partnership includes an operational component. Essendon will use Airwallex’s Spend and Expense Management product across its commercial operations, rolling out corporate cards and automated reimbursement workflows.

Founded in Melbourne in 2015, Airwallex later established dual headquarters in Singapore and San Francisco. The Essendon deal adds to its existing global sports partnerships.

The announcement was marked with an event at Industry Beans in Fitzroy, referencing Tukk & Co, the café where Airwallex’s founders first sketched out the business idea.

Commercial focus

Airwallex will also join Essendon’s EFC Business Network, which connects the club with corporate partners and member organisations. Airwallex is expected to take part in business-to-business activity through the network.

For Essendon, the co-major slot is one of the AFL’s most visible sponsorship positions. The agreement strengthens the club’s commercial portfolio as teams increasingly bundle branding rights with technology and services deals.

Essendon President Andrew Welsh described the partnership as both a brand fit and a practical upgrade to the club’s finance processes.

“We are incredibly proud to partner with Airwallex, a homegrown Melbourne success story that has successfully taken on the global stage,” Welsh said.

He also linked the agreement to Essendon’s current phase and Airwallex’s focus on financial technology.

“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.”

Welsh also pointed to Airwallex’s international sports relationships and potential collaboration beyond Australia.

“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,” he said.

Technology rollout

Essendon’s finance team will integrate Airwallex tools into day-to-day spending and reimbursement, centred on corporate cards and automated workflows. The club is also targeting real-time visibility of overheads.

Airwallex offers payment acceptance, billing, global accounts, corporate cards and spend management. More than 200,000 businesses use its platform worldwide.

Airwallex holds 80 licences across regions including North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, and has more than 2,000 employees across 26 offices.

Local roots

James Teodorini, Airwallex’s Head of ANZ, said the partnership brings together two Melbourne-based brands with deep ties to the city.

“Melbourne is where Airwallex was founded, and where Essendon has built one of the great legacies in Australian sport. 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,” Teodorini said.

Essendon has promoted its “Fly Together” vision for 2026 and pointed to a young list as part of that direction, including Nate Caddy, Archie Roberts and Isaac Kako. The co-major agreement establishes a new sponsor presence for that period, alongside a finance technology rollout that will support the club’s operations over the life of the deal.