Can football and finance collide? Arsenal thinks so

Airwallex has partnered with Arsenal FC and Academy Award-winning director Spike Lee for a film that blends football culture, celebrity storytelling and global finance.

The campaign, titled “Who are ya?”, is a two-minute film created by UK creative agency Uncommon that positions complex business-to-business finance through the lens of football fandom and community conversation.

Directed by and starring Spike Lee, a lifelong Arsenal supporter, the film is set in a North London pub on matchday and features a mix of former and current Arsenal players including Thierry Henry, Martin Keown, Rachel Yankey, Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz. They are joined by Arsenal fans from film and television, including Aaron Pierre, Jasmine Jobson and Nick Moran.

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At its core, the film plays on the idea that football supporters are already deeply engaged in global systems of movement, transfers and “financial logic”, drawing a parallel with the challenges faced by businesses managing cross-border payments.

Airwallex, which provides global payments and financial infrastructure for businesses, is positioned in the campaign as a solution to those complexities. The company is Arsenal’s official software partner, supporting the club’s international financial operations and growth.

Matt Jennings, global creative director at Airwallex, said the campaign is designed to feel authentic to football culture rather than traditional corporate advertising.

“Arsenal supporters are among the most passionate and financially engaged supporters in football,” he said. “This film is a genuine conversation with football supporters about money and lets us tell that story in a way that feels authentic to this community.”

Spike Lee, who directs and appears in the film, said the campaign reflects the evolving nature of football fandom.

“Fans today don’t just follow the game, they understand everything around it too,” he said. “Bringing Airwallex into that conversation felt natural, because the film plays on how fans now talk about the business side of football just as much as what happens on the pitch.”

The campaign will run across Sky channels and digital platforms, launching ahead of Arsenal’s match against Newcastle on 25 April, with further rollouts planned around the end of the season, the 2026 World Cup and the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season.

The launch builds on Airwallex’s wider global sports strategy, which includes partnerships with McLaren Racing and the San Francisco Giants, as it continues to position itself as a global financial infrastructure brand targeting fast-growing, internationally scaled businesses.

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