Puma Ends Sponsorship of Israel’s National Football Team Amid Intensifying Boycott Pressure

According to a company spokesperson, sports brand Puma will cease sponsoring Israel’s national football team in 2024. 

The 2024 sponsorship termination, reportedly in the works since last year, coincides with a surge in boycott calls against the German sportswear firm due to its association with the Israel Football Association (IFA). 

These calls have gained momentum during Israel’s two-month military offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 44,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. 

A Puma spokesperson clarified that the decision to end its contracts with several federations, including those with Serbia and Israel, is part of its “fewer-bigger-better strategy.” 

While the company emphasized that its move was unrelated to consumer pressure, the timing has drawn attention amid escalating tensions in the region. 

The ongoing war in Gaza, being called genocide by the masses, has intensified scrutiny of corporations associated with Israel. During this period, Puma faced public backlash, with fans urging collaborators such as Rihanna and NCT 127 to sever ties with the brand.

A Target of Boycott Campaigns

Puma’s association with the IFA, established in 2018, has made it a focal point of the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Activists have criticized the IFA for including teams based in Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are deemed illegal under international law. 

The Boycott Puma campaign, which has spanned five years, has included global days of action, protests at Puma offices, and direct appeals to the company’s ambassadors and partners. The campaign has aimed to tarnish Puma’s brand image by associating it with alleged human rights violations. 

A leaked internal memo revealed that Puma faced significant pressure, with one company lawyer reportedly admitting to activists that the campaign was making life “miserable.” 

The impact of the boycott became increasingly visible as prominent retailers such as O’Neills, Ireland’s largest sportswear chain, removed Puma products from shelves, and Irish teams joined the boycott. Protests inside and outside the company’s 2023 Annual General Meeting highlighted growing dissent, with Puma’s CEO accidentally referencing the BDS movement while discussing other initiatives. 

As Puma pivots to new partnerships, the broader implications of the Boycott Puma campaign signal a shift in corporate accountability in the face of human rights concerns.