adidas teams up with UAE’s women’s football club Onyx FC

Global sportwear retailer adidas has announced its partnership with Onyx FC, the region’s first football club created, owned and managed by women. The partnership is set to empower the next generation of young female footballers across the UAE by promoting women’s football, breaking down cultural barriers and creating a foundation for up-and-coming ballers.

In line with the brand’s belief that through sport we have the power to change lives, the partnership further enhances adidas’ ambitions to support regional and local sports communities while further enhancing its credibility in the world of football. On its part Onyx co-founders Lauren McMurchie, Lisa Hayhoe, Hind Alzarouni and Georgia Adderley are all passionate about creating opportunities for female footballers.

“We are proud to bring something unique to the UAE, as a female-only club with strong core values we are pleased to partner with adidas and welcome more women to be part of the journey,” Alzarouni said.

“Community and female empowerment are incredibly important to us; we want women to feel inspired and truly believe that ‘Impossible is Nothing’ both on and off the football pitch. We hope to inspire and be a part of the advancement of women’s sport in the UAE and the wider region,” Adderley added.

Onyx FC is made up of some of the best female footballers in the UAE with club-level and international experience. The club has proven to have a solid foundation for young female footballers having won several accolades since its formation in 2021.

“We are a club that is open to all abilities, we have programmes for every level of female footballer. We’re proud to have achieved league titles and various other wins since we began, but for us, it’s about much more than just winning. We are a club for all women,” McMurchie stated.

“Whether you’ve never kicked a football before, or if you’ve played at Champions League level, we have a space for you at Onyx FC. We strive to support women and girls to be the best of their ability and we believe adidas hold the same core values as us in this regard,” Hayhoe added.

The partnership also aligns with adidas’ commitment to end plastic waste with Onyx FC providing a host of environmentally focused activations that include desert and beach clean-ups, recycling activities and many more to raise awareness amid the community and empower women to make a change. Together with Onyx FC, the brand aims to achieve its goals of sustainability and inclusivity; joining forces to make women’s football more accessible in the region by offering a safe space for women and girls from all backgrounds and levels.