FC Barcelona announced a new sponsorship deal with EGYPTAIR on Wednesday. Reported by Mundo Deportivo, the agreement makes the Egyptian airline the 'Exclusive Official Airline' for the men's first football team, the basketball team, and the handball team until the 2028-29 season.
The club, currently fifth in La Liga with 3 points from one win in its opening game, will receive over four million euros annually from the deal. The EGYPTAIR logo will feature on the front of the handball team's shirt during matches. That team, coached by Carlos Ortega, is the reigning European and world champion.
What does this deal mean for Barcelona?
This contract fills a gap in the club's travel partnerships. The previous airline sponsor, Qatar Airways, ended its deal on June 30, 2017. Before that, Turkish Airlines held the sponsorship from 2014 to 2019. Marc Bruix, FC Barcelona's director of Global Sponsorships, highlighted the logic of the link. "Conectar al FC Barcelona con EGYPTAIR, un referente de excelencia y trayectoria en la aviación internacional, es un paso natural en nuestra expansión," he said.
The airline Vueling is the official partner of the women's football team from 2024 until 2027, but it does not have the Global Partner category. EGYPTAIR will hold that status until 2029, reflecting the strategic importance of the agreement for both sides.
How is EGYPTAIR connected to the club?
The link between the airline and Barça goes beyond a logo on a kit. Handball player Seif Elderaa is Egyptian and joined the team last season. In football, youngster Hamza Abdelkarim, aged 18 and registered with the reserve team, scored a goal in the Joan Gamper Trophy against Al Ahly, Egypt's most prestigious club. These personal details create an organic connection with the sponsor's home country.
Ahmed Adel, president of EGYPTAIR Holding Company, emphasized the prestige the deal brings. "Patrocinar a uno de los clubes más prestigiosos del mundo, actual campeón de LaLiga y de la Supercopa de España, representa un logro sin precedentes," he stated. Barça enters this pact as the reigning domestic champion, though in the current title race they trail leaders Sevilla by 3 points.
What is the team's current league context?
The announcement comes at a time of high activity for the first football team. The next fixture is at home against Athletic Club, who are 20th in the table, and you can check the full schedule on our fixtures page. The team has scored 5 goals and conceded none this season, with a +5 goal difference. The top scorer so far is Fermín, with 2 goals in one appearance. To track the squad's composition, visit our squad section.
EGYPTAIR, Egypt's flag carrier founded in 1932 and based in Cairo, connects the country with over 85 destinations worldwide and is a Star Alliance member. Its loyalty program is called EGYPTAIR Plus. This global sponsorship deal provides stable financial income for the club in the coming years, a resource that adds to recent sporting successes as the team looks to close the gap in the standings.
