Emirates and Real Madrid CF have extended one of football’s most recognizable commercial partnerships through 2031, keeping the Dubai-based airline on the front of the Spanish club’s shirts and deepening a relationship that began more than a decade ago.
The renewal confirms that the airline will remain Real Madrid’s official main sponsor and official airline partner for the next five seasons. The agreement covers the club’s men’s and women’s football teams, training apparel, team staff clothing, and major competitions including La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup.
Real Madrid also confirmed the extension, saying Emirates will continue as the main sponsor of both its football and basketball teams through 2031.
A Partnership That Outlasted Football Cycles
In modern football, where sponsorship cycles often shift with changes in ownership, performance, and global marketing priorities, the Emirates-Real Madrid relationship stands out for its duration. Emirates first became a Real Madrid sponsor in 2011 and moved onto the club’s shirt as official jersey sponsor in 2013. By the end of the new term, the partnership will have run for roughly 20 years.
The companies said the renewal makes the arrangement the longest-running jersey sponsorship in La Liga history. That matters beyond branding. Front-of-shirt sponsorship remains among the most visible commercial assets in elite football, appearing across live broadcasts, highlight clips, replica kits, social media, and stadium imagery.
The Emirates logo has become part of Real Madrid’s modern visual identity during a period in which the club has continued to compete at the top end of European football. The shirt gives Emirates a global marketing platform tied to one of the sport’s biggest clubs and one of football’s most followed brands.
Extending Across Madrid’s Teams
The renewed agreement is broader than a standard shirt placement. Emirates said its branding will continue across player jerseys, training kits, and staff apparel. The airline will also retain visibility inside the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, including access to training facilities and the Emirates Lounge, an in-stadium hospitality space used for customers and trade partners.
The deal also extends into Real Madrid’s youth teams, positioning the sponsorship not only around elite competition but around the club’s development pipeline. That element gives Emirates a presence across more layers of the club’s football structure and connects the airline’s branding to the next generation of players and supporters.
A notable addition is basketball. The sponsorship includes a newly signed multi-year agreement making Emirates the official main sponsor of Real Madrid’s basketball club through 2031. The move gives Real Madrid a consolidated key sponsor across multiple teams, including one of Europe’s most prominent basketball programs, while giving Emirates wider exposure beyond football within the Real Madrid ecosystem.
A Football Deal with Business Reach
Emirates framed the renewal as part of a wider sports and market strategy.
Boutros Boutros, executive vice president of corporate communications, marketing and brand, said: “Emirates has a long history of championing football, connecting with millions of people and bringing communities together through our shared love of the game. What we have built with Real Madrid is a shining example of that commitment, putting fans at the heart of the game, giving them access to moments they will never forget, and inspiring the next generation of fans and players.”
The airline also tied the sponsorship to its growth in Spain. Emirates said it launched its first flight to Madrid in 2010 and now operates five daily flights across Madrid and Barcelona. That gives the Real Madrid partnership a dual purpose: global brand exposure on one side and support for the airline’s Spanish market presence on the other.
Sports sponsorship has long been central to Emirates’ international profile. The airline’s football portfolio includes Arsenal, AC Milan, Real Madrid, S.L. Benfica, and Olympique Lyonnais, while it is also a platinum partner of Bayern Munich’s first team. In the United Kingdom, Emirates has been title sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup for nearly a decade.
The Real Madrid extension keeps the airline attached to a club with major visibility in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. That reach is particularly useful for a carrier whose business model depends on connecting international passengers through Dubai.
A Stable Commercial Win for Real Madrid
The renewal gives Real Madrid commercial continuity at a time when top European clubs are seeking predictable, high-value revenue streams. Stadium redevelopment, player wages, transfer market inflation, investment in women’s football, and global fan engagement have all raised the importance of long-term sponsorship stability.
Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, said: "Our partnership reflects the strong and unique relationship we have built over the years. We have stood side by side throughout one of the most successful periods in our club’s history, and we remain committed to continuing this journey together."
The Business Value Behind the Deal
The extension is not merely a continuation of a logo placement. It shows how elite football sponsorships are increasingly built around ecosystems: match shirts, stadium hospitality, digital fan engagement, women’s teams, youth development, basketball, and travel experiences.
That structure gives sponsors more than TV visibility. It allows them to operate across the emotional and commercial life of a club. Fans may encounter the brand on a jersey, inside a stadium lounge, on a club campaign, through travel promotions, or in a youth-football context. The brand becomes part of the club’s broader narrative rather than a temporary advertising asset.
The partnership gives Emirates global visibility through one of football’s most powerful brands, while Real Madrid retains a long-term commercial partner with international scale and deep experience in sports sponsorship. The renewal suggests both sides see stability as more valuable than testing the market for a new deal.
By running through 2031, the deal will take the Emirates-Real Madrid partnership close to the 20-year mark, a rare length in football sponsorship and a sign of how durable the relationship has become across changing teams, seasons, and business cycles.
