Mastercard teams up with ‘biggest name’ in football to tackle pain of online payments

Mastercard has announced a three-year sponsorship deal with North Wales Coast West Division One side CPD Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch FC, the football club with the longest name in the world. The partnership will see Mastercard become the club’s official shirt sponsor and forms part of a wider initiative to raise awareness of its Click to Pay technology – a streamlined, secure payment method designed to eliminate the need to manually enter card details online.

The move strengthens Mastercard’s ongoing engagement with the village of Llanfairpwll on the Isle of Anglesey, which earlier this year was selected as one of eight European locations to pioneer the Click to Pay platform. This innovative solution aims to ease the online checkout process and address growing consumer concerns around security and convenience.

The club’s new home, away and goalkeeper kits, proudly displaying the full 58-letter town name alongside the Mastercard and Click to Pay logos, were designed by local creator Andrew Maclean and manufactured in nearby Bangor by Teejac Sports. Each kit pays homage to Llanfairpwll’s cultural landmarks – including a home design inspired by the iconic windows of the town’s railway station and a burgundy-accented away strip reflecting the station’s signage.

“Football clubs are the beating heart of communities across the country, and we’re proud to announce this long-term partnership, cementing our links with Llanfairpwll. This expanded collaboration reflects our commitment to backing grassroots football and local businesses and driving forward technology that helps support everyday transactions across small towns and villages as well as global cities.”

To mark the launch of the sponsorship and the technology’s rollout, Mastercard will host an event at Llanfairpwll’s first home game of the season on August 25 against Llangoed. Fans attending the Bank Holiday match at Maes Eilian can experience the new kits in action, explore the Click to Pay platform through a partnership with the Co-op, and enjoy matchday pies from a branded Mastercard van.

“You only have to look down the road at Wrexham to see how football partnerships can inspire success on the pitch and a huge feel-good factor off it. This isn’t just another sponsorship deal for our club – it’s a collaboration that builds on the strong relationship Mastercard has forged with the Llanfairpwll community throughout the year. They’re not just putting their name on our shirts; they’re investing in our future, our facilities, and most importantly, our supporters.”

Mastercard’s Click to Pay solution is part of a broader push to phase out manual card entry by 2030, offering a faster, safer alternative for online transactions. Its expansion into grassroots communities is emblematic of a wider trend of high-profile investment in Welsh football, following Wrexham AFC’s Hollywood-backed resurgence and recent A-list involvement with Swansea City.