Barcelona to Feature Dubai Sponsorship on La Liga Shirts for 2026-27 Season
FC Barcelona is set to introduce a significant change to their match-day jerseys for the upcoming 2026-27 season, with a new promotional partnership set to appear on the back of the iconic Blaugrana shirt during La Liga matches.
According to reports from Culemania and El Español, the club is finalizing a wide-ranging promotional agreement with Dubai and Abu Dhabi-based investors that will place a real estate development project on the back of Barcelona’s kit in Spanish competitions. The move comes as Barcelona’s current back-of-shirt partnership with ACNUR (UNHCR) expires in June 2026.
What’s Changing on the Barcelona Jersey?
Starting with the 2026-27 campaign, Barcelona’s La Liga jersey will feature the Dubai real estate project on the reverse side of the shirt. This real estate venture involves the construction of several high-end developments in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including four skyscrapers bearing the FC Barcelona name in the Dubai skyline.
However, eagle-eyed fans should note that the Champions League kit will tell a different story. UEFA regulations prohibit commercial sponsorship placement on the back of shirts in their competitions, with exceptions only for charitable causes. This means that in European fixtures, Barcelona will wear the Fundació Barça (Barça Foundation) branding on the back of their jerseys instead.
€10 Million Annual Injection
The promotional deal is estimated to bring in approximately €10 million per year for the Catalan club — a welcome financial boost as Barcelona continues its efforts to stabilize its finances. The agreement covers the licensing of the Barça brand across multiple projects in the United Arab Emirates, including not just the skyscrapers but also planned Barça Stores and Barça Cafés within the developments.
The club is expected to ratify the agreement in an extraordinary general assembly of club members (socis compromisaris), which will also address the ratification of the new board of directors and the extension of financial credit for the ongoing Espai Barça project.
What This Means for Fans and Collectors
For shirt collectors and Barcelona fans, this change means the 2026-27 Barcelona jersey will come in two distinct versions depending on the competition: one with the Dubai sponsorship for La Liga matches and another with the Fundació Barça branding for Champions League nights. This creates a unique collecting opportunity for those who want both variants of the season’s kit.
The Dubai sponsorship replaces the ACNUR branding that Barcelona has proudly worn on the back of their shirts since 2022 as part of their commitment to refugee support. While the humanitarian messaging on the shirt will remain for European competitions, the La Liga kit will now promote the club’s expanding commercial footprint in the Middle East.
Combined with Barcelona’s ongoing new kit releases for the 25/26 season already featuring players like Lamine Yamal, Pedri, and Robert Lewandowski, the 2026-27 campaign promises to be an exciting one for jersey enthusiasts. The full 2026-27 Barcelona home and away kits are expected to be unveiled later this summer.
Stay tuned to phshirt.com for the latest updates on Barcelona and La Liga merchandise releases.