Bashair Hamza Abdel Karim: an Egyptian company sponsors Barcelona, will it appear on the shirt?
A mutually beneficial alliance
Barcelona announced a new sponsorship deal on Wednesday with an Egyptian airline that runs for three seasons, until the end of the 2028/2029 campaign. The agreement strengthens the Catalan club's presence in the Egyptian market and across the Middle East and Africa.
For Egyptian fans, the timing could hardly be better. The partnership coincides with young striker Hamza Abdelkarim joining Barcelona's first team following his move from Al Ahly.
Nothing confirms that Abdelkarim's transfer directly triggered the deal. Still, having an Egyptian player in the first team is likely to have sharpened the Egyptian market's interest in Barcelona and drawn more attention to the Catalan club at home, especially given the huge popularity the Blaugrana enjoy among Egyptian supporters.
Under the terms, the Egyptian airline becomes Barcelona's official and exclusive air carrier. The partnership covers the men's first football team alongside the basketball and handball sides.
Will the Egyptian airline company's logo appear on Barcelona's shirt?
Barcelona clarified that the Egyptian company's logo will not feature on the first football team's shirt, in line with the announced agreement.
Handball is a different story. The company's logo will appear on the front of that team's shirt during matches.
Barcelona expands its presence in Egypt
The Catalan club confirmed the agreement offers a chance to widen the reach of its brand and tap new markets, with a particular focus on the Middle East and Africa, where Barcelona command a huge fan base.
Marc Broeckx, Barcelona's global sponsorships director, called the cooperation with the Egyptian company a "natural step" in the club's expansion. He pointed to Barcelona's desire to carry its values and passion to fans in the Middle East and Africa.
The Egyptian company, for its part, hailed the agreement as an important milestone in its history, one that pairs its roughly 95 years of heritage with Barcelona's global standing.
Barcelona keep building their commercial presence in the region. Abdelkarim's arrival in the first team lends a fresh Egyptian dimension to the club's relationship with the local market, and it may prove an added draw for Egyptian fans and companies alike.
Read also: Does it threaten his place or protect his future: Will Barcelona's new striker Hamza Abdelkarim benefit?
