Airwallex: Is Investing in Sport the Next Best Goal?

Sat at home, with your feet up and a glass of something refreshing in hand, ready to watch your team make history at the World Cup, would you stop to think: fintech? 

UK sport has a huge consumer fan base, with Arsenal boasting a global fanbase that includes New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, actress Anne Hathaway and outgoing UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. 

Tapping into that fan base is fintech Airwallex, which has committed its largest marketing investment in UK sport to date, partnering with Arsenal to launch a new advertising film directed by and starring Academy Award-winning filmmaker Spike Lee.

The two-minute film, titled Who Are Ya, marks a significant capital deployment for the global payments firm as it accelerates its expansion within the UK market. 

Rather than traditional corporate messaging, the campaign addresses the reality that B2B finance rarely captures public attention, reframing complex financial operations through the lens of football culture.

Set in a North London pub on matchday, the film brings together club legends Thierry Henry, Martin Keown and Rachel Yankey, alongside current players Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz. It boasts high-profile supporters that hold a presence on the UK film scene, such as  actors Aaron Pierre, Jasmine Jobson and Nick Moran also feature. 

The narrative centres on the intense debates fans have regarding complex financial dealings, positioned alongside Airwallex’s capability to resolve cross-border payment issues.

The marketing spend follows an initial investment in out-of-home advertisements around the Emirates stadium earlier this year. 

This film has been designed to appeal to football fans and has been rolled out across Sky channels and social media in three strategic phases, timed to coincide with the end of the  current season, the 2026 World Cup in the US and the start of the 26/27 Premier League season.

Using creativity to capture passion 

The campaign is the first major creative output rooted in Airwallex’s new global proposition, Build the Future. The corporate strategy is designed to demonstrate how removing international transaction barriers can help businesses optimise performance and reach their full commercial potential.

For investors, the campaign particularly highlights how B2B platforms are increasingly targeting mainstream cultural touchpoints to drive brand equity and enterprise adoption.

Matt Jennings, Global Creative Director at Airwallex, says: “Like Arsenal, finance is always evolving and, leveraging the stories of the club and the supporters, we can show how businesses can build the future with a new way to do things.”

Speaking to Finance Chief exclusively, he adds: “Sports sponsorships should be seen as a strategic partnership, not just a logo placement. The right club or team gives you more than reach. They allow you to build trust, provide tangible case studies via product integration and give you the opportunity to engage both new and existing customers via exclusive hospitality experiences and team access.

Scoring international deals 

Back in 2024, international racing giant McLaren announced that Airwallex had been chosen as an official partner for the F1 Team. The announcement noted that the partnership was driven by a “passion for innovation and excellence”. 

Then, in 2025, Airwallex picked up the pace with its partnerships as it integrated its Payments Acceptance software at Emirates Stadium, home to world-famous Arsenal Football Club. The integration set out to ensure that fans experience a smoother transaction process across VIP experiences, premium seating and corporate boxes. 

Half the world away, Airwallex then announced its multiyear partnership with New Zealand’s Super Rugby Club, the Blues. It serves as the Official Business Finance Partner for the club, further cementing its status as a facilitator for frictionless transactions alongside its growing image of marrying fintech into sport. Its brand integration spanned matchday assets from digital integration to fan engagement. 

Continuing its world tour for sports partnerships, the next announcement from the fintech focused on the next jewel in its belt: the US. Occurring shortly after the company surpassed US$1bn in revenue, the partnership combined Airwallex’s automation software with yet another high-profile sports club: The San Francisco Giants. 

With this announcement, Airwallex was providing modern financial tools in addition to expanding access to international hiring opportunities – mirroring The Giants’ goals to support the Major League Baseball’s international growth strategy. 

The investment has demonstrated just how much Airwallex has achieved with its elevated strategy, building on success of its high-profile partnerships and ultimately, utilising creativity as an introduction to B2B finance for football fans.