Shirt sponsorship money in football has gone through the roof. Brands from every sector are paying ever-increasing sums to appear on the front of some of the world’s biggest clubs’ shirts, putting themselves in front of millions of eyes.
Based on publicly reported and widely cited estimates, our team at OddsMonkey have ordered the biggest shirt sponsorship deals in football history.
T-Mobile – Bayern Munich – €50 Million Per Year
Kicking us off is German giants Bayern Munich, who have long been one of the most commercially savvy clubs in world football. Their deal with T-Mobile was a landmark moment in European football sponsorship, proving that clubs outside of England could command serious money from the world’s biggest brands.
Jeep – Juventus – €51 Million Per Year
Juventus and Jeep. Two iconic brands, one very lucrative partnership. The Italian giants’ deal with the American car brand became one of the most recognisable shirt sponsorships in the world, at €51 million per year. First appearing on the shirt in 2012, Jeep spent over a decade as Juventus’ front-of-shirt sponsor and after a brief one-season break, the pair have since reunited on a deal running through to June 2028.
Standard Chartered – Liverpool – €53.5 Million Per Year
Liverpool’s long-running partnership with Standard Chartered has been one of the Premier League’s most enduring sponsorships, and when you’re pulling in €53 million a year, it’s easy to see why both sides are happy to keep renewing. As the Reds grew into a genuine global force under Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot, Standard Chartered’s investment has only looked smarter and smarter.
Fly Emirates – Arsenal – €58 Million Per Year
Arsenal fans may have mixed feelings about some of the decisions made at board level over the years, but you can’t argue with the commercial operation. Their deal with Emirates, whose name is also plastered across their stadium, brings in a cool €58 million per season.
Qatar Airways – PSG – €65 Million Per Year
Paris Saint-Germain’s rise to the summit of world football has been entirely bankrolled by Qatari money, so it’s no surprise to see Qatar Airways emblazoned across their shirts to the tune of €65 million a year. The deal is as much about global brand exposure as it is pure sponsorship. PSG have become one of the most recognisable clubs on the planet, and Qatar is very much along for the ride.
Snapdragon – Man United – €68.66 Million Per Year
Manchester United may be going through a rough patch as of late, but off the pitch they remain one of the most commercially powerful clubs in world football. Their switch to Snapdragon, the semiconductor company owned by Qualcomm, as their primary shirt sponsor raised a few eyebrows, but at nearly €69 million per year, United’s pulling power in global markets clearly remains elite.
Spotify – Barcelona – €70 Million Per Year
Only Barcelona could turn a shirt sponsorship into a cultural moment. Their deal with Spotify has been one of the most creative in football history, with the streaming giant regularly replacing the logo on the front of the shirt with artist branding to coincide with major music events. At €70 million a year, it’s one of the biggest deals in the sport, and the fact it comes with genuine creative collaboration makes it arguably the most interesting on this list too.
Fly Emirates – Real Madrid – €70 Million Per Year
Real Madrid and Emirates have been synonymous for well over a decade, with Los Blancos one of the most recognisable shirts on the planet in part thanks to that iconic blue and white logo. Matching Barcelona at €70 million per year, the deal reflects Real’s status as one of the world’s most followed football clubs. With the Bernabéu’s transformation now complete, cementing its place as one of the most spectacular stadiums on earth, that global brand is only heading in one direction.
HP – Real Madrid – €70 Million Per Year
Real Madrid appear twice in our top three, which tells you everything you need to know about their commercial pull. Their deal with Hewlett Packard Enterprise is on a par with the Emirates arrangement in terms of value, forming part of a broader partnership that goes well beyond just the shirt. When you’re the most successful club in Champions League history, the world’s biggest companies will always come knocking, and Real Madrid always answer.
Eithad Airways – Man City – €79 Million Per Year
Manchester City’s deal with Etihad Airways tops the lot at a staggering €79 million per year, which is as remarkable a number as you’ll see in world football. The Abu Dhabi-backed club and the UAE’s national airline have built one of the most extensive partnerships in the sport. Etihad’s name is on the shirt, the stadium, the training ground and seemingly everywhere else in east Manchester.
