Qatar Airways to be new FC Barcelona shirt sponsor

Spanish giants FC Barcelona have used an option in their contract with the Qatar Sports Investment to have a new shirt sponsor in Qatar Airways from next season onwards, while the QSI-supported The Qatar Foundation from then now becomes FC Barcelona’s Official Human Development Partner.Barca president Sandro Rosell welcomed Qatar Airways as “an ambitious brand with global aspirations, always commitment to the utmost excellence in its field. These are objectives with which FC Barcelona fully identifies.”The earlier shirt deal with the Qatar Foundation was worth more then 30 million Euros a season and surely, the deal with Qatar Airways will at least match that or be even higher.

Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, said, “We are delighted to form this alliance with FC Barcelona, the biggest football club in the world. Qatar Airways has been voted Best Airline in the World for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012) and will work with FC Barcelona on activities of benefit both to fans and passengers, offering tangible rewards to both organisations.”

A Qatar Foundation spokesperson added, “when we started this fantastic journey with FC Barcelona, our objective was to work closely with the club, the team and the supporters to promote awareness of Qatar Foundation on an international scale. This has been a huge success! In fact, the first two years of the collaboration have surpassed our expectations and we are looking to deepen and strengthen our relationship with FC Barcelona and its supporters around the world in our continued role as a proud partner of the Club.

“Qatar Sports Investments, Qatar Airways and Qatar Foundation are united together in their commitment to the success of FC Barcelona”