AAMI has entered into a new partnership with WA Football for the 2026 season that will cover talent pathways, state leagues, and junior competitions in Western Australia. Under the agreement, the Suncorp‑owned insurer becomes naming‑rights partner of the AAMI WA Football State Talent Program and premier partner of the WAFL, WAFLW, WAFL Colts, and Junior Football.
The announcement follows AAMI’s recently renewed arrangements with the AFL and AFLW and coincided with the AAMI AFL Origin match in Perth, the first State of Origin game played in Western Australia in 27 years. WA Football CEO Michael Roberts said the deal will apply across both elite and participation tiers. “We’re delighted to have the backing of AAMI in an exciting new partnership for 2026. Not only will AAMI become Naming Rights Partner of our boys and girls Talent programs, but they’re also committed to supporting our WAFL, WAFLW and WAFL Colts competitions and Junior Football as a Premier Partner, highlighting their passion and dedication to growing our great game from grassroots to the elite level,” Roberts said. He added that the two organisations expect to work together on program development. “We’re looking forward to working collaboratively with AAMI to bring some new initiatives across our talent programs, WAFL competitions, and junior football,” he said.
The AAMI WA Football State Talent Program will include player grants for Indigenous and multicultural participants to help meet the costs of progressing through the football system. The partnership also provides for content generated from boys’ and girls’ talent programs to profile emerging players and supply additional digital material for WA Football. For the WAFL, WAFLW, and WAFL Colts competitions, the agreement includes a set of initiatives aimed at matchgoing and online audiences. These include weekly digital “AAMI Rookies” posts profiling emerging WAFL and WAFLW players, in‑stadium activities and competitions at selected WAFL fixtures, and the “AAMI Dash for Cash” promotion at the WAFL Grand Final, where pre‑selected fans will compete for a cash prize.
At junior level, AAMI’s branding will appear on volunteer bibs for junior football clubs, funded through a contribution linked to the sponsorship. The bibs are expected to be used across community venues during the 2026 season. Mim Haysom, Suncorp executive general manager brand and customer experience, said the partnership is consistent with AAMI’s broader involvement in Australian rules football. “We’re proud to partner with the WAFL and deepen our commitment to football in Western Australia. As an insurance brand built on protecting communities, AAMI sees a natural connection with the WAFL and the vital role it plays in supporting clubs, players, and volunteers at every level – from juniors through to elite – helping footy to thrive right across the state. Community football brings people together, and through this partnership, we’re excited to support local clubs and the wider WA football community both on and off the field,” Haysom said. For insurance professionals, the WA Football agreement extends AAMI’s Australian rules activity beyond its existing work in South Australia, where SANFL’s elite junior pathways will operate under the AAMI Talent League name from 2026.
AAMI’s Western Australian move sits within a broader pattern of domestic and global insurers using sport as part of their brand, distribution, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activity. Allianz Australia has entered a multi‑year partnership with Football Australia that covers the Socceroos, Matildas, youth, and para national teams. The arrangement includes branding on training and off‑field apparel and supports programs focused on social inclusion, community football, and para‑football.
Broker Gallagher (Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.) is the official insurance broking partner of Rugby Australia under a deal that spans the Wallabies, Wallaroos, Super Rugby W teams, and junior national sides. The agreement runs at least through the end of 2026 and provides Gallagher with involvement across high‑performance and pathway programs. Zurich Financial Services Australia has extended its sponsorship of NRL club Wests Tigers until the end of the 2027 season. The insurer holds naming rights to the Zurich Centre, the club’s training, and administration base, and appears on the NRLW front‑of‑jersey and the NRL team’s sleeve. The package also includes support for equipment programs for junior rugby league clubs. Health insurer Westfund has a renewed role with the Penrith Panthers as sternum sponsor for the 2026 and 2027 NRL seasons, combined with membership‑linked offers and planned game‑day activities in western Sydney and regional New South Wales.
Insurers are also using major codes and events as focal points for larger sponsorship portfolios. NRMA Insurance, part of IAG, is the official insurance partner of the Australian men’s and women’s national cricket teams and naming‑rights sponsor of the NRMA Insurance Test Series under a multi‑year arrangement that includes grassroots and volunteer‑focused initiatives. NRMA Insurance will also appear as a headline sponsor of Nine’s coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Within Australian rules, AAMI’s new WA Football agreement sits alongside its South Australian activities, where SANFL’s under‑16 and under‑18 boys’ and girls’ state programs and associated competitions will operate under the AAMI Talent League banner from 2026.
In rugby league, Budget Direct is set to enter the NRL club sponsorship market in 2026 through a new sleeve‑branding agreement with the Melbourne Storm, placing its logo on all Storm jerseys. In health insurance, Bupa has signed a multi‑year partnership with the Australian Open, beginning with the 2026 tournament, as an official partner. The tie‑up includes ticket benefits for Bupa customers and on‑site activities showcasing its digital health services. Bupa also remains the official healthcare partner to Paralympics Australia, using the relationship to support disability sport pathways. Not all long‑running relationships are confirmed beyond 2025. nib’s principal partnership with the Newcastle Knights in the NRL and NRLW runs to the end of the 2025 season, extending a near four‑decade association and presenting a renewal decision point for both parties.
For insurers, sports properties provide broadcast reach, community program delivery channels, and access to fan data and hospitality rights. The AAMI–WA Football deal - together with other national‑level agreements across football, rugby league, rugby union, tennis, and the Paralympic movement - indicates that insurers are seeking to link sports sponsorship more directly with customer engagement, retention, intermediary relationships, and ESG reporting, beyond traditional logo placement.
