The Ireland football team will end the World Cup qualifying campaign with a new kit sponsor after severing their 23-year association with Umbro.

American firm New Balance, the suppliers to Liverpool and Celtic, will take over the contract from August, with Martin O'Neill's side due to wear the newbrand for the first time against Georgia on September 2.

Umbro's sponsorship of the FAI was the third-longest of any European nation, lagging behind Germany's deal with Adidas and the accord between the Netherlands and Nike. They initially replaced Adidas as Ireland's kit supplier after the 1994 World Cup.

Online Editors