Bologna FC and Fanatics Announce Expanded Long‑Term Partnership
Coppa Italia winners deepen relationship with Fanatics to cover licensing, design and manufacturing, wholesale, and worldwide retail as growth soars.
Bologna Football Club 1909 and Fanatics, the global sports platform and leader in licensed sports merchandise, today announced the long-term extension and significant expansion of their partnership, building on three years of growth and fan-focused innovation.
The new partnership strengthens Fanatics’ role as the Club’s official operator for its ecommerce business, Stadio Renato Dall’Ara retail, and high street stores. It also grants Fanatics new licensing, design, and manufacturing rights, wholesale distribution, and marketplace operations, marking a major step forward in the collaboration between the two organisations.
Since the start of the partnership in 2022, Bologna and Fanatics have grown merchandise sales for the club sixfold. This growth has been supported by improvements to existing channels and the opening of Bologna’s new flagship store in Bologna city centre. The retail expansion coincided with Bologna’s on-pitch successes during the 2024/25 season, which included a first-ever UEFA Champions League qualification and a Coppa Italia victory.
Strong performance continues into the current season, with ecommerce sales for the club up 25% season to date and store retail sales up 15%, even when compared with 2024/25, which stands as the Club’s best season ever.
Fanatics will continue to manage and grow the partnership from its Italian headquarters in Milan, combining deep local expertise with the company’s global network, which includes more than 900 partners across world sport and an industry-leading end-to-end merchandise and licensing platform.
“Bologna is one of Italian football’s most exciting stories in recent years, with a team that inspires incredible passion from its supporters,” said Stephen Dowling, President of International at Fanatics. “We look forward to deepening our partnership and help to bring Bologna fans even closer to the Club through a richer product assortment and a world class shopping experience.”
Christoph Winterling, Chief Revenue Officer of Bologna FC 1909, commented: “We are extremely pleased with the renewal of this partnership, built on solid strategic foundations that have led to significant business growth. This result is anything but accidental: the shared operating model with Fanatics and the strategy we have developed together allow us to make steady progress, just as the team is doing on the field. Such a strong trend confirms the solidity and value of this collaboration.”
Lorenzo Forte, CEO of Fanatics Italy, added: “The growth we have seen together over the past three years is only the beginning. Our extended collaboration reflects our commitment to serving Bologna’s fans with excellence, whether in store, online, or anywhere they support the team. We look forward to writing the next chapter of this long-term partnership with such a great club.”
Fanatics continues to invest significantly in the Italian market, where its business has grown rapidly and it partners with a number of other Serie A clubs and the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio. With an expanding team and strengthened operational capabilities in Italy, Fanatics is committed to delivering best-in-class retail and merchandising experiences to fans across the country.