Emirates has re-entered the German football landscape with a landmark seven-year sponsorship deal with FC Bayern Munich, Germany’s most decorated football club. The Dubai-based airline will become a Platinum Partner of the club’s first team starting from the 2025–26 season and continuing through to the 2031–32 season.
Strategic Return to German Football
This new partnership marks Emirates’ return to German football after nearly a decade, having previously served as the shirt sponsor for FC Hamburg until 2015. Through the deal with Bayern Munich—winners of 34 Bundesliga titles and six UEFA Champions League trophies—Emirates solidifies its European football presence with one of the sport’s most globally recognised teams.
The agreement grants Emirates comprehensive brand exposure, including LED perimeter boards, pitch cam carpets, and visibility across broadcast and digital platforms. The airline will also benefit from a dedicated Emirates Skybox at Bayern’s Allianz Arena, as well as exclusive access to match tickets and hospitality packages.
Branding, Visibility and Fan Engagement
As part of the deal, Emirates will be granted rights to use collective player imagery and its branding will appear across club television backdrops during press conferences, flash interviews, and digital events. The partnership positions Emirates to engage with Bayern’s global fanbase of over 140 million supporters and more than 410,000 club members.
The team, currently captained by German legend Manuel Neuer and coached by former Manchester City star Vincent Kompany, features star talents including 22-year-old Jamal Musiala and England captain Harry Kane—further enhancing Emirates’ association with world-class football.
Executive Commentary
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, expressed pride in the agreement:
“We are immensely proud to partner with FC Bayern – Germany’s most iconic football club and a true global sporting giant.
This landmark partnership represents far more than a commercial agreement; it embodies our deep commitment to Germany, which stands as a cornerstone of our European network. By aligning ourselves with this legendary sporting institution, we’re forging a connection to the Club’s rich heritage and its extraordinarily passionate community.
Few forces match sport’s remarkable capacity to unite hearts and minds across cultures and continents. We look forward to building meaningful relationships with millions of devoted FC Bayern fans around the world, while celebrating excellence—a value that defines both Emirates and FC Bayern.”
Michael Diederich, Deputy Chairman of FC Bayern Munich, added:
“FC Bayern is very pleased to have gained a strong and shining partner in Emirates, which has been a committed supporter of football in Europe for decades.
FC Bayern also needs financial planning security to achieve its sporting goals, so Emirates is an ideal fit for our club’s family of partners. It will also help us that Emirates connects football fans around the world and can support FC Bayern in its internationalisation plans.”
Emirates’ Expanding Sports Portfolio
Football remains one of Emirates’ most prominent sponsorship verticals. The airline’s “Fly Better” branding currently features on the kits of top clubs including Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, AC Milan, SL Benfica, and Olympique Lyonnais. Emirates also holds naming rights for Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and has been the title sponsor of The FA Cup for nearly a decade. In the UAE, its logo appears on Al Ain FC’s first-team training kits during the 2025–26 season.
Beyond football, Emirates actively sponsors global events and teams across cricket, rugby, golf, sailing, and tennis. The airline maintains robust connectivity with Germany, operating 63 weekly direct flights from Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg.
