Canadian Soccer Business Expands Partnership with hummel as Official Kit and Apparel Partner of the Canadian Premier League

Canadian Soccer Business Expands Partnership with hummel as Official Kit and Apparel Partner of the Canadian Premier League

Toronto, ON – (Nov. 6, 2024) – Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) today announced a multi-year partnership with hummel, the iconic Danish sportswear brand, which will become the Official Kit and Apparel Partner of the Canadian Premier League (CPL) beginning in 2026.

The new agreement builds on the successful relationship established last year between hummel and League1 Canada, which also operates under the CSB umbrella. By extending the collaboration to the CPL, CSB continues to strengthen the connection between its leagues, fostering greater integration across the professional and pro-am levels of the game within Canada’s broader soccer ecosystem and reinforcing the foundation for the sport’s long-term growth nationwide.

As part of the collaboration with the CPL, hummel will create fully customized jersey designs for each club, produce league-branded merchandise, and supply official apparel for league staff. The first hummel-designed CPL kits will debut in early 2026, coinciding with a historic moment for Canadian soccer as the country prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

“Our expanded partnership with hummel reflects the momentum behind Canadian soccer and the Canadian Premier League,” said James Johnson, Group CEO, Canadian Soccer Business. “Following the successful introduction of hummel through League1 Canada, we’re proud to bring their global brand and design expertise to the men’s professional game. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to integration across our leagues, creating a more unified and recognizable visual identity that strengthens their presence within the Canadian soccer landscape.”

Together, hummel and CSB will aim to create a unified visual identity for the CPL that reflects the league’s ambition and the potential for Canadian soccer from coast to coast, while building on clubs’ reputation for producing world-class kit designs and storytelling that connects to their communities.

“Partnering with the Canadian Premier League marks a significant step forward in our ongoing North American expansion,” said Lars Stentebjerg, Chief Executive Officer, hummel. “As one of the host nations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Canada represents a vibrant and fast-growing football culture — one we’re proud to support for the long term. We look forward to bringing our heritage, passion, and design innovation to one of North America’s most dynamic football markets.”

Founded in 1923, hummel’s iconic chevrons feature on the jerseys of globally recognized teams including the Danish national team, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, and Real Betis. With a legacy defined by craftsmanship and community, CSB’s partnership with hummel reinforces its stated commitment to fuelling the growth of the game as an integrated soccer hub.

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About Canadian Soccer Business
Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) represents a suite of top-tier national assets that are central to the sport of soccer in Canada. This includes representation for all corporate partnerships and media rights (broadcast and distribution) related to Canada Soccer’s core assets including the Men’s and Women’s National Team and the TELUS Canadian Championship, along with all rights associated with the Canadian Premier League (CPL) and League1 Canada.

For more information, please contact:

Laura Armstrong
Senior Director, Communications
Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Business
laura.armstrong@canpl.ca

Katrin Ivanov
Coordinator, Communications
Canadian Premier League and Canadian Soccer Business
katrin.ivanov@canpl.ca

Kuba Krzyzostaniak 

Communications

hummel North America

kuba@hummelprona.com 

Canadian Soccer Business élargit son partenariat avec hummel, qui devient de partenaire officiel des uniformes et de l’habillement de la Première Ligue canadienne

Toronto, ON – (6 novembre 2024) – Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) a annoncé aujourd’hui un partenariat pluriannuel avec hummel, l’emblématique marque danoise de vêtements de sport, qui deviendra le partenaire officiel des uniformes et de l’habillement de la Première Ligue canadienne (PLC) à compter de 2026.

La nouvelle entente s’appuie sur le relation fructueuse qui avait été établie l’an dernier entre hummel et Ligue1 Canada, qui opère aussi sous les auspices de CSB. En étendant cette collaboration à la PLC, CSB continue de renforcer les liens entre ses ligues, cultivant une plus grande intégration des niveaux professionnel et semi-professionnels du soccer au sein de l’écosystème canadien de ce sport dans son ensemble et consolidant les fondements de la croissance à long terme du soccer à l’échelle du pays.

Dans le cadre de la collaboration avec la PLC, hummel assurera la conception de maillots entièrement personnalisés pour chacun des clubs, confectionnera des produits dérivés portant la marque de la ligue et fournira l’habillement officiel aux membres du personnel de la ligue. Ces premiers uniformes de la PLC conçus par hummel seront offerts en début d’année 2026, coïncidant ainsi avec un moment historique pour le soccer canadien alors que le pays s’apprêtera à coorganiser la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2026.

« Notre partenariat élargi avec hummel est le reflet de l’élan dont profitent le soccer canadien et la Première Ligue canadienne, a déclaré James Johnson, chef de la direction de groupe chez Canadian Soccer Business. À la suite des premiers pas réussis de hummel par l’entremise de Ligue1 Canada, nous sommes fiers d’offrir leur marque mondiale et leur expertise en matière de conception au circuit professionnel masculin. Cette collaboration vient solidifier notre engagement à favoriser l’intégration de nos différentes ligues, créant ainsi une identité visuelle plus homogène et plus reconnaissable qui renforcera leur présence au sein du paysage du soccer canadien ».

Ensemble, hummel et CSB viseront de créer une identité visuelle homogène pour la PLC qui sera à l’image de l’ambition et du potentiel de la ligue dans le contexte du soccer canadien d’un océan à l’autre, tout en bâtissant sur la réputation des clubs en matière de conception d’uniformes de classe mondiale et de récits leur permettant de tisser des liens avec leurs communautés.

« Ce partenariat avec la Première Ligue canadienne représente une étape importante dans le cadre de notre expansion en cours en Amérique du Nord, a déclaré Lars Stentebjerg, président directeur général, hummel. En tant qu’une des nations hôtes de la Coupe du Monde de la FIFA 2026, le Canada offre une culture de football dynamique et en forte croissance que nous sommes fiers de soutenir à long terme. Nous avons hâte de mettre à profit notre héritage, notre passion et notre sens de l’innovation en matière de design afin de contribuer à la réussite d’un des marchés de football les plus dynamiques en Amérique du Nord ».

Fondé en 1923, hummel a vu son emblématique motif en chevron se retrouver sur les maillots d’équipes reconnues à l’échelle mondiale comme l’équipe nationale danoise, le FC Cologne, le Werder Brême et le Real Betis. En vertu de ce legs défini par son savoir-faire et sa communauté, le partenariat de CSB avec hummel vient renforcer l’engagement qui a été pris d’alimenter la croissance du soccer à titre carrefour intégré pour ce sport.

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À propos de Canadian Soccer Business

Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) représente un ensemble d’actifs nationaux de premier plan qui sont au cœur du soccer au Canada. Cela comprend la représentation de tous les partenariats d’entreprise et les droits médiatiques (diffusion et distribution) liés aux principaux actifs de Canada Soccer, notamment les équipes nationales masculine et féminine et le Championnat canadien TELUS, ainsi que tous les droits associés à la Première Ligue canadienne (CPL) et à la Ligue1 Canada.

Pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez contacter :

Laura Armstrong

Directrice principale des communications

Première Ligue canadienne et Canadian Soccer Business

laura.armstrong@canpl.ca

Katrin Ivanov

Coordonnatrice des communications

Première Ligue canadienne et Canadian Soccer Business 

katrin.ivanov@canpl.ca

Kuba Krzyzostaniak 

Communications

hummel North America

kuba@hummelprona.com   

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Costa Smyrniotis

Costa Smyrniotis is a senior Canadian soccer executive with more than 20 years of experience across the professional, developmental, and commercial sides of the game in Canada and internationally. His career spans league governance, club operations, player representation, and academy leadership, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the soccer ecosystem.

As Executive Vice President of the Canadian Premier League, Smyrniotis oversees sporting and business operations across Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment’s league portfolio, including the CPL and Premier Soccer Leagues Canada, the umbrella organization for Canada’s national pro-am competitions.

Previously, he served as Executive Vice President, Soccer, helping professionalize the league’s on-field product and strengthen its reputation in the global transfer market, increasing player movement and international recognition.

Prior to his league role, Smyrniotis spent five years as Director of Football and Business at Forge FC, building one of Canada’s most successful professional clubs. Earlier, he co-founded Sigma FC, built a leading player agency, and held senior business roles with multinational organizations.

Laura Armstrong

Laura Armstrong is Vice President, Communications & Business Integration at Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment, where she leads strategic communications, public relations, and key stakeholder engagement across the company’s corporate functions, leagues, and media assets.

In this role, Laura works closely with executive leadership to align organizational strategy and priorities, supporting the delivery of the company’s long-term vision through coordinated planning and execution across teams.

Prior to joining CSME, Laura spent nearly a decade as a journalist with the Toronto Star, Canada’s largest daily newspaper, where she led the paper’s soccer coverage beginning in 2015. A leading voice in Canadian soccer — particularly in the women’s game — she covered major milestones including the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Toronto FC’s treble-winning 2017 season, and Canada’s men’s national team qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Laura regularly appeared across national and international broadcast platforms including OneSoccer, Sportsnet, CBC, CTV, the BBC and more

A bilingual native of Barrhaven, Ont., Laura holds a combined honours degree in Journalism and English Literature from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Dylan Hewko

Dylan Hewko is a finance executive with extensive experience in professional sports, specializing in financial strategy, governance, and organizational oversight. He currently serves as Senior Vice President, Finance, supporting the continued growth and financial stewardship of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment.

In this corporate leadership role, Dylan is responsible for financial planning, reporting, and governance, as well as people operations and organizational policies, supporting the company’s overall business objectives across its leagues and properties.

Prior to joining the Canadian Premier League in 2021, Dylan spent three years with New York City FC as Controller and held finance roles with the Toronto Blue Jays. He began his professional career at Deloitte Canada in the Assurance & Advisory practice, building a strong foundation in corporate accounting and financial management.

A graduate of Queen’s University, Dylan holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and a Graduate Diploma in Accounting, and is a Chartered Professional Accountant (Canada) and Certified Public Accountant (USA). He has long been engaged in the intersection of sport and business, including through leadership roles with the Queen’s Sports Industry Conference.

Marni Dicker

Marni Dicker is a senior executive and governance leader with deep experience in corporate law, infrastructure development, and organizational leadership across complex public- and private-sector environments.

In her dual role as Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President, Infrastructure, Marni oversees legal strategy, corporate governance, risk management, and compliance, while also leading infrastructure planning and expansion strategy and execution for the Canadian Premier League.

Her career includes senior roles such as Chief Commercial Officer and General Counsel at Infrastructure Ontario, where she led legal and commercial oversight for major infrastructure and venue development projects, including facilities for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. She has also served as Executive Vice President at Live Work Learn Play Inc. and held board positions with organizations including CreateTO, Tarion, and Habitat for Humanity GTA.

A nationally recognized leader, Marni has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and one of the Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers. Her honours include the Canadian General Counsel Award for Business Achievement and induction into the Urban Land Institute’s Hall of Champions. She lectures at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Law and holds degrees from Western and McGill, along with the ICD.D designation. Marni is a proud wife and mother of two.

Shaun Guest

Shaun Guest is a senior sports business executive with more than a decade of experience driving commercial growth through sponsorships, partnerships, and revenue strategy. He currently serves as Vice President, Commercial Operations, working within the commercial leadership team to support partner growth across Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment and its properties.

In his role, Shaun leads corporate partnerships and sponsorship initiatives, while also overseeing ticketing, and licensing operations. He works closely with internal teams and external partners to deliver integrated commercial programs that support long-term business objectives.

Prior to joining CSME, Shaun served as Vice President, Business Operations for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Forge FC, where he played a key role in Forge FC’s launch and oversaw corporate partnerships, ticket sales, community engagement, and marketing initiatives.

Earlier in his career, Shaun held roles with the 2007 Grey Cup Festival and the Toronto Rock, building a strong foundation in ticket sales, sponsorship development and revenue generation across multiple sports and event platforms. He is a graduate of Brock University’s Sport Management program and holds a Master’s degree in Sport & Leisure Commerce from the University of Memphis.

Michael Beckerman

Michael Beckerman is a seasoned marketing and business leader with more than two decades of global experience across sports, media, and consumer brands. He brings a strategic, partner-first approach to growing audiences, brands, and commercial impact within the soccer ecosystem.

Beckerman’s career spans three continents and includes senior leadership roles as Director of Advertising for Nike Europe, Vice President of Marketing at Canadian Airlines, Chief Marketing Officer at the Bank of Montreal, and CEO of sponsorship agency MKTG Canada. He also led Ariad Communications, an award-winning marketing and digital agency, and most recently served as Chief Client Officer at Torstar Corporation.

A recognized voice in sponsorship and brand strategy, Beckerman is a frequent speaker on marketing trends, consumer engagement, and the evolving business of sport.

At CSME, Mike leads partner strategy, helping organizations — including Canada Soccer, the Canadian Premier League, Premier Soccer Leagues Canada, OneSoccer, and other media and properties — connect meaningfully with fans to achieve their business objectives while advancing the growth of soccer in Canada.

James Johnson 

James Johnson is a globally recognized sport and entertainment executive with more than two decades of leadership experience across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. He was appointed Group CEO of Canadian Soccer Media & Entertainment (CSME) and Commissioner of the Canadian Premier League in July 2025 to accelerate the growth and transformation of Canadian soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

Johnson previously served as CEO of Football Australia, leading a period of transformation marked by record commercial growth, strong national team performance, increased participation, and the successful hosting of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The tournament delivered a lasting legacy, unlocking $389 million in government investment to support the sport’s growth in Australia. He also secured record broadcast agreements with Paramount+, Disney+, and Fox Sports.

His career includes senior executive roles with FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and City Football Group, where he built a reputation as a commercially driven, innovative leader advancing sport on and off the pitch.

Johnson leads the group’s overall strategic direction, aligning commercial growth, media innovation, and sporting performance to strengthen the business of Canadian soccer. He serves on the board of OneSoccer.