American sandwich invasion: iconic English cup is about to get a fast-food name
English football's most commercial tradition strikes again: one of its cup competitions is set to be renamed after an American submarine sandwich chain.
Details: The EFL Trophy is close to a sponsorship agreement with Jersey Mike's Subs that would include a five-year naming rights deal, reportedly worth around 5 million pounds. The competition, known as the Vertu Trophy until the end of last season, is searching for a new title partner, while Carabao remains sponsor of the separate EFL Cup until 2029.
The identity of the buyer is what makes this story remarkable. Jersey Mike's, founded in New Jersey in 1956, has grown into America's top-rated quick-service restaurant chain, dethroning Chick-fil-A in the 2026 satisfaction rankings, and has been aggressively building its sports portfolio: a multiyear partnership with the NFL signed in 2025, naming rights to Rutgers University's basketball arena in a 20-year, 28 million dollar deal, and now a first major move into English football. For the EFL, whose Trophy pits League One and League Two clubs against academy under-21 sides, the cash injection is significant for a competition that often struggles for attention. The naming carousel is nothing new for English cups: the league cup alone has carried the names of Worthington, Coca-Cola, Carling, Capital One and Carabao over the decades. But a sandwich brand from the Jersey Shore stamping its name on a century-old footballing institution will take some getting used to, and the inevitable puns are already writing themselves.
It's worth noting that the EFL Trophy, first played in 1983, has previously been sponsored by brands as varied as Leyland DAF, Johnstone's Paint and Papa John's.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
