Given football’s global prominence, the sport has become an attractive destination for investors and companies seeking to broaden their market reach. This has intensified competition, leading to a surge in sponsorship fees, particularly for shirt sponsorships. One key factor driving these escalating costs is the popularity of the football team itself.
Clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester United command higher sponsorship fees due to their massive global fan bases. A diverse array of companies, including beverage brands, airlines, sports firms, and financial institutions, are eager to capitalise on the brand exposure and engagement opportunities provided by football sponsorships.
Here BDWeekender takes a look at the six most expensive football shirt sponsorship deals in 2024.
Real Madrid (Fly Emirates) €70m Yearly
Real Madrid stand as one of the most renowned football clubs globally, boasting immense commercial value and a strong brand identity. With a rich history of success, the Spanish club hold one of the most decorated records in football.
Real Madrid boast of the most expensive shirt sponsorship deal globally. The Los Blancos lead the pack in jersey sponsorship earnings on a global scale. In 2022, the club renewed its collaboration with Emirates Airlines for an additional four years, valued at an impressive €70million annually.
This lucrative contract with Emirates Airlines underscores their esteemed status in the sports sponsorship arena, the collaboration has yielded significant success, coinciding with Real Madrid’s domination of European football, clinching five UEFA Champions League titles during this period.
Also, Real Madrid and HP signed a global technology sponsorship agreement during the 2023-24 season worth €70million yearly.
PSG (Qatar Airways) €65m Yearly
The Qatari state-owned Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) boasts a multitude of lucrative sponsorship agreements, with Qatar Airways serving as their shirt sponsor. In June 2022, PSG announced Qatar Airways as their new official front-jersey sponsor, commencing the 2022/23 football season.
Reportedly, Qatar Airways agreed to pay €65 million annually for this sponsorship deal. With PSG’s immense fan base and the presence of superstar players like Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, the company is poised to reap substantial benefits from the visibility afforded by this partnership.
Barcelona (Spotify) €57m Yearly
Amidst their ongoing financial challenges, Barcelona successfully secured a lucrative shirt sponsorship deal with music streaming company Spotify. According to reports from Mundo Deportivo and Sport via Marca, Barcelona’s partnership with Spotify for shirt sponsorship amounts to an impressive €57million annually.
Furthermore, this figure is anticipated to escalate to €60million, resulting in a total of €240million for four seasons. In addition to this substantial income stream, the Blaugrana stand to gain an extra €5million for three seasons, courtesy of Spotify’s sponsorship of the club’s training kits. Notably, the agreement encompasses various other provisions, with the most prominent being the renaming of Barcelona’s iconic stadium to the Spotify Camp Nou.
Manchester United (TeamViewer) €55m Yearly
In 2021, Manchester United landed a new shirt sponsorship deal with a German company TeamViewer, marking a significant shift from their previous partnership with Chevrolet. The agreement which commenced in 2021 is set to run until 2026.
Following the conclusion of their contract with Chevrolet, Manchester United unveiled a lucrative €55million shirt sponsorship deal with TeamViewer, currently ranking as the most expensive deal in the Premier League. According to reports from Sky Sports, the agreement entails an annual value of £55 million, totalling £235 million over five years.
Manchester City (Etihad Airways) €55m Yearly
Manchester City stands out as one of the Premier League’s top earners in the realm of shirt sponsorships. Since its inception in 2015, the partnership between City and Etihad Airways has been immensely lucrative, with the club pocketing €55 million annually. The sponsorship agreement extends beyond merely adorning the team’s jerseys; it also entails the acquisition of naming rights for Manchester City’s stadium by the airline giant.
According to Forbes, Man City and Etihad Airways sealed a monumental deal valued at £400million for ten years. This arrangement positions them as the second football club boasting one of the Premier League’s most expensive shirt sponsorship deals. As the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways commands significant global stature. Nonetheless, the substantial figures associated with Etihad’s deal with Manchester City have sparked controversy, with critics raising concerns about the possibility of inflated values.
Liverpool (Standard Chartered) €53.5m Yearly
Liverpool and Standard Chartered recently announced the extension of their partnership until 2027, marking a continuation of their collaboration for seventeen seasons since 2010.
This extended deal encompasses sponsorship for both the Liverpool men’s and women’s teams. Among the array of sponsorships in football, Standard Chartered Bank’s association with Liverpool Club stands out as one of the most lucrative and is valued at €53.5million.
