10 Most Expensive Shirt Sponsorship Deals In Football 2023/24

Football clubs make a lot of money through shirt sponsorships, which are a big deal for their survival and getting their name out there.

They get funds from various things like ticket sales, TV rights, player transfers, competitions, and trophies. But, one of the major money-makers is sponsorships, where a company pays to have its logo on a team’s shirt, giving their brand a lot of visibility.

The big clubs, the popular ones, always attract the top sponsors for their shirts. Sponsors can also cover other things like naming rights for the stadium, and training kits, among others.

Most Lucrative Shirt Sponsorship Deals

Because football is the most popular sport globally, it’s a hotspot for investors and companies trying to reach a massive audience.

This has led to a crazy competition, making sponsorship fees shoot up. One reason for the high fees is how well-liked the football team is.

Take Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United, for instance.

The reason they charge more for sponsorships is that they have a huge global fan base, way more significant than what lower-league soccer clubs can offer. It’s all about the scale of their international following.

1. Real Madrid – Fly Emirates – €70 million

Real Madrid’s success is synonymous with its iconic white jerseys, but the club’s influence goes beyond the pitch, as evidenced by its notable shirt sponsorship deals. One such lucrative collaboration is with Emirates.

The Emirates logo, featuring the text “Fly Emirates” (now “Emirates – Fly Better”), is widely recognized by football enthusiasts, adorning the kits of many renowned clubs.

Over the years, the Emirati airline has secured sponsorships with prestigious teams such as AC Milan, Arsenal, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Hamburger SV.

Real Madrid solidified its partnership with Emirates as the principal sponsor in May 2013, sealing an impressive €30 million per annum deal.

Acknowledging the immense value brought by Real Madrid’s association, the club extended its partnership with Emirates in September 2017.

This four-year extension came with a staggering €70 million per season price tag, setting a new benchmark for sponsorship deals in world football.

At the time, it stood as the most expensive shirt sponsorship deal in the sport’s history.

2. Paris Saint-Germain – Qatar Airways — €65 million

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is a top player in European football when it comes to locking in lucrative shirt sponsorship deals, second only to Real Madrid. Among the most expensive of these deals is PSG’s collaboration with Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways entered the scene as a Premium Partner for PSG in 2020, with its logo making its debut on the club’s matchday shirts.

The initial deal, reportedly valued between €5 million and €10 million annually, demonstrated the mutual benefits of the partnership.

PSG gained a significant financial boost, while Qatar Airways received exposure and association with a high-profile football club. However, the PSG and Qatar Airways partnership reached new heights for the 2022/23 season.

The airline was elevated to Major Partner status, and the new agreement is expected to be a whopping €60 million to €70 million, covering not only the men’s team but also the women’s and youth teams, showcasing the all-encompassing nature of the partnership.

With the Qatar Airways logo prominently featured on all PSG matchday shirts, the partnership signifies the global reach and influence of both entities.

3. Barcelona – Spotify – €57 million / Philips €58 million

Barcelona has landed a new five-year sponsorship deal, offering much-needed funds to the club and potentially paving the way for crucial new signings.

Don’t forget, they also snagged a sweet shirt sponsorship deal with the music streaming giant Spotify. Barcelona and Spotify inked a massive agreement covering the club’s jersey and the stadium’s naming rights, which is now known as the Spotify Camp Nou.

As per Mundo Deportivo, the deal with Dutch electronics giant Philips is valued at €56 million ($60 million).

Philips is now the official sponsor for Barcelona’s first-team shirts, filling a vacancy left since Beko’s deal expired in 2021.

The inclusion of an optional extension clause reflects the uncertainty surrounding Barcelona’s leadership.

If current president Joan Laporta fails to secure re-election, a mutual agreement between Barcelona and Philips would be required for the last two years of the sponsorship deal.

Despite this uncertainty, the Catalan club views this partnership as a significant boost, considering the financial implications. For Barcelona, having Philips as a key sponsor provides an opportunity to strengthen the squad.

The club actively seeks strategic partnerships to support its ambitions on and off the field.

4. Manchester United – TeamViewer — €55 million

In 2021, Manchester United hooked up with German firm TeamViewer for a new shirt deal, replacing their old pact with Chevrolet.

This five-year deal, running until 2026, kicked off after Chevrolet’s stint ended in 2021. The TeamViewer sponsorship, at €55 million, is the priciest in the Premier League, per Sky Sports, totaling £55 million yearly and £235 million overall.

TeamViewer aims to not just offer remote connectivity but also amplify Manchester United’s global reach, leveraging the club’s immense popularity—trailing only FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

For TeamViewer, this partnership is a smart business move, letting them showcase their wares to a massive worldwide audience through one of football’s big names.

Moreover, Manchester United’s resurgence under Erik Ten Hag, crowned with a recent Carabao Cup win, adds to the positive vibe around the club.

This partnership signals a fresh sponsorship era for Manchester United, solidifying their status as one of the planet’s most valuable football clubs.

5. Manchester City – Etihad Airways — €55 million

Man City, a top earner in the Premier League via shirt sponsorships, got backing from Abu Dhabi’s UAE flag carrier in 2011. Etihad Airways, seizing prime spots on kits and stadium naming rights, brings in €55 million annually.

Man City and Etihad Airways inked a £400 million, decade-long deal per Forbes, making them the second-highest shirt sponsorship in the league.

The Etihad Stadium, formerly City of Manchester Stadium, reflects a bold move in football’s corporate branding.

The 2020-21 season marked the final stretch of the decade-long partnership between Man City and Etihad Airways. The £67.5 million per year deal prompted discussions on sports sponsorships, signaling a new era.

Undoubtedly, the Etihad deal played a crucial role in Man City’s rise, garnering multiple Premier League titles, League Cups, and FA Cups, steadily increasing their silverware collection.

6. Liverpool FC – Standard Chartered – €53.5 million

Liverpool FC and Standard Chartered extend their partnership until 2027, totaling seventeen seasons since 2010.

Per the club’s site, the extension covers both men’s and women’s teams. Standard Chartered Bank’s deal is among football’s top shirt sponsorships, valued at an impressive $53.50 million yearly.

Standard Chartered, a global British bank, holds a strong presence worldwide, especially in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Aiming to leverage Liverpool’s global popularity, the company extends the deal to reach more customers and expand across territories.

GlobalData’s report lists Liverpool’s top spenders, including Standard Chartered Bank, NIKE, AXA, Expedia, and Carlsberg.

7. Juventus – Jeep – €51 million

Juventus and Jeep joined forces in a significant deal, valued at $53.1 million each year, propelling them into the upper echelons of clubs with the most lucrative kit sponsorships globally, according to Forbes.

While Real Madrid leads with a massive €70 million per season from their Emirates deal, Juventus’ collaboration with Jeep solidly places them in the top 10 for the most expensive football shirt sponsorships in soccer.

This partnership is a win-win, but a crucial point awaits as the deal heads toward its 2023 expiration. Negotiations for renewal or pursuing a new major sponsor are vital for sustaining Juventus’ financial strength.

Controlled by Exor, the Dutch holding company owned by the Agnelli family, both Juventus football club and Jeep share a close relationship.

Recently, they decided to extend the shirt sponsorship until 2024, having earned over $100 million from partnerships with Jeep, Adidas, and Cygames in previous years.

8. Bayern Munich – T-Mobile – €50 million

Bayern Munich and telecom giant Deutsche Telekom, known as T-Mobile, have been partners since 2002, recently extending their alliance until 2027 in a 50 million euro deal, per Sports Media Pro.

This renewed pact, an upgrade from before, ensures Bayern Munich an extra five million euros.

In the competitive Bundesliga landscape against leagues like La Liga and the Premier League, Bayern Munich stands tall as a commercial powerhouse.

While Audi, Adidas, and Allianz jointly hold an 8.33% stake in the club, Deutsche Telekom is more than just a sponsor; they’re recognized as a strategic partner.

9. Arsenal – Fly Emirates – €45 million

Arsenal and Emirates Airlines go way back, with the airline playing a major role in financing the construction of the Emirates Stadium.

Since the 2006/2007 season, the Premier League club proudly wears the company’s name on its front shirt. Recently, the Gunners announced a £40m extension of the shirt sponsorship with Emirates, set to run until the end of 2024.

Beyond the jersey deal, Emirates also holds the naming rights to the club’s stadium, currently known as the Emirates Stadium. Under Mikel Arteta’s guidance, the squad has transformed into genuine contenders for the Premier League title.

Emirates, a UAE-based airline, has a rich history of sponsoring sports teams, including the likes of Real Madrid, Olympique Lyon, Hamburger SV, and others.

10. Tottenham Hotspur – AIA – €45 Million

The North London club nailed down one of those big-money sponsorship deals. They’ve been pulling in cash from the jersey sponsorship with AIA since the 2009/10 season.

The deal brings in an extra 40 million pounds each year, a welcome addition to the club’s funds after splashing 1 billion pounds on the New Tottenham Hotspur stadium project.

AIA, a life insurance company, has been gracing Spurs’ shirts as sponsors since 2013, and they decided to extend the deal in 2019, now stretching until 2027.

Now, there’s a buzz about South Africa Tourism throwing in £42.5 million with Spurs, according to some reports, the deal might not surface again.

But, if the deal goes through, South African Tourism plans to invest a whopping 910 million South African rands over the next three years, starting from the upcoming season.

FAQs

Who has the biggest jersey deal in football?

Real Madrid (Fly Emirates — €70 million)

Which team has the most expensive jersey in the Premier League?

Manchester United and Adidas recently sealed a deal for the period 2023-2035, valued at £90 million annually.

This ten-year extension surpasses all previous agreements in Premier League history, making it the priciest sponsorship deal to date.

What is the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in the Premier League 2023?

Manchester City and Liverpool lead the pack with the most lucrative shirt contracts in the league.

Etihad backs Manchester City with a yearly agreement of £50 million, while Standard Chartered supports Liverpool with an equally substantial £55 million deal.

Moreover, City and Manchester United have clinched the top spots for sleeve agreements, with OKX and DXC each offering £20 million per year.

Who has the biggest kit manufacturer sponsorship deals in football?

La Liga makes headlines with two of the most lucrative kit sponsorship deals in football.

Real Madrid’s alliance with Adidas, worth EUR 120 million, and FC Barcelona’s partnership with Nike, valued at EUR 105 million, are not only setting high standards in their local markets but also making a substantial impact on a global scale.

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