The five-time Indian Premier League champions, Mumbai Indians, have expanded their commercial ecosystem for the ongoing season through a combination of new and renewed partnerships with fintech company FiatPe, sportswear brand Skechers and oral care major Colgate Total.
The agreements reflect the franchise’s continued effort to align with brands operating across fintech infrastructure, performance apparel and sports science, as teams increasingly build partnerships that influence both fan experience and athlete performance. With the IPL continuing to command strong broadcast reach, commercial investment and global fan engagement, franchises are moving beyond traditional logo visibility towards integrated collaborations embedded within operations and high-performance environments.
FiatPe has joined Mumbai Indians as the payments partner for the 2026 season, bringing its digital payments infrastructure into the matchday ecosystem. The partnership will see the deployment of QR-based solutions, point-of-sale devices and card-enabled payment systems designed to support high transaction volumes typically generated during live sporting events. The integration aims to improve transaction speed across food and beverage counters, merchandise outlets and other in-stadium touchpoints, helping reduce queues while improving overall fan convenience.
Anshuman Dhadeech, Founder, FiatPe, said, “In environments like live matches, payments are not a feature; they are a system that everything else depends on. When queues build and transaction volumes rise, what matters is consistency and predictability. This association with the Mumbai Indians is meaningful to us, as it reflects the trust placed in our infrastructure to perform when needed most. That is how we think about payments at FiatPe, as systems that quietly hold commerce together.”
The collaboration highlights the increasing role of fintech solutions in live sports environments, where frictionless payment infrastructure contributes to both improved fan satisfaction and increased per-capita spending.
Meanwhile, Skechers has extended its partnership with Mumbai Indians as official kit partner for the third consecutive season, continuing an association that began in 2024. Under the agreement, the brand will supply match kits, training apparel and licensed fan merchandise for the IPL 2026 campaign, reinforcing its expansion in the performance sportswear category while strengthening its presence within cricket’s global ecosystem.
Rahul Vira, CEO, Skechers South Asia, said, “Mumbai Indians are a team that embodies the consistency, resilience, and fearless spirit that aligns naturally with Skechers’ performance-led philosophy. As we enter the third year of our partnership, we look forward to bringing fans closer to the team through footwear and apparel that combine innovation, comfort, and style, while celebrating the energy and ambition that define modern-day cricket.”
The renewal ensures continuity in the team’s on-field identity while also supporting retail-driven revenue streams through replica jerseys and fanwear collections, an increasingly important component of franchise commercial strategy.
Colgate Total has also joined Mumbai Indians as dental performance partner for IPL 2026, introducing a science-led programme focused on the relationship between oral health and athletic performance. As part of the collaboration, Colgate Total has launched the PLOT (Performance Linked Oral Test) programme, which integrates preventive oral health assessments into the team’s sports science framework.
The initiative includes dental screenings conducted using intraoral scanning technology and evaluation protocols aligned with World Health Organization standards, enabling early identification of oral health issues that may impact endurance, recovery and overall fitness.
Gunjit Jain, EVP, Marketing, Colgate-Palmolive India, said, “At Colgate, we are constantly creating awareness about the role that Oral Health can play in elevating people’s lives. While athletes have long optimised sleep and nutrition, Oral Health remains the ‘hidden edge’ in sports. By partnering with Mumbai Indians – the ultimate personification of performance – we are making this hidden edge mainstream. The link is rooted in science: germs in the mouth can enter the body, impeding muscle recovery and stamina.
“This is more than a campaign, it’s a shift in the performance paradigm – starting with mandating dental tests for all players and providing them with our most superior technology, Colgate Total, which fights germ build-up 3x better, preventing 8 dental problems. We are proud to support the MI squad and encourage other teams to PLOT along for peak on-field performance.”
The partnership reflects a broader trend in elite sport where marginal performance gains are increasingly pursued through multidisciplinary approaches spanning preventive healthcare, biomechanics, recovery science and performance analytics.
The latest agreements further strengthen Mumbai Indians’ sponsorship portfolio, which already includes brands such as BKT Tyres, Usha International, Budweiser 0.0, Lauritz Knudsen, Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, GREW Solar, Ai+ Smartphone, Rapoo India, KT Professional and Plum. The franchise continues to attract companies seeking association with one of cricket’s most commercially powerful properties, where global visibility, digital consumption and strong fan loyalty combine to create sustained marketing value.
Mumbai Indians began their IPL 2026 campaign with a victory over Kolkata Knight Riders and will next travel to the national capital to face Delhi Capitals on April 4 as they pursue a record-extending sixth IPL title.
As IPL 2026 progresses, the partnerships underline the continued evolution of team sponsorships from traditional branding arrangements to integrated collaborations spanning technology infrastructure, retail licensing and high-performance sport.
