Does Qatar Still Sponsor Barcelona?

By Robert Palmer

In recent years, there has been a lot of speculation about whether Qatar still sponsors Barcelona. The Spanish club, one of the most successful in the world, has had a long-standing relationship with the Middle Eastern country. Many fans have been wondering if this partnership is still alive and well.

To answer this question, we need to take a closer look at the history of this sponsorship deal. In 2010, Qatar Airways became Barcelona’s official shirt sponsor in a deal worth €165 million over five years. This was a massive investment for the airline and demonstrated its commitment to promoting itself on a global scale.

The partnership between Qatar and Barcelona went beyond just shirt sponsorship. The two entities also worked together on various initiatives aimed at promoting football in Qatar and around the world. For example, they set up football academies in different countries to nurture young talent.

However, the sponsorship deal came to an end in 2016 when Barcelona signed a new deal with Japanese company Rakuten. This left many fans wondering if Qatar had lost interest in sponsoring the club.

Despite this change, Qatar’s relationship with Barcelona remains strong. The country continues to invest heavily in football and has hosted major events such as the FIFA World Cup 2022. In fact, Barcelona even visited Qatar for their winter training camp in 2019.

Moreover, the country still maintains close ties with some of Barcelona’s key players such as Xavi Hernandez and Samuel Eto’o who have both played for Qatari clubs after leaving Barca.

So while it is true that Qatar no longer sponsors Barcelona directly through shirt sponsorship deals, their relationship goes much deeper than that. The two entities continue to work together towards their shared goals of promoting football and bringing people together through sports.

In conclusion, while there may have been some changes to their partnership over the years, it is clear that Qatar’s support for Barcelona remains as strong as ever. As we look towards the future, it will be interesting to see how this relationship evolves and what new initiatives they will undertake together.