EgyptAir seal landmark Barcelona deal covering football, basketball and handball

EgyptAir have agreed a partnership with Barcelona that will make the Egyptian carrier the exclusive official airline of the Spanish club’s men’s first-team football, basketball and handball sides until the end of the 2028-29 season.

The agreement was announced by Egypt’s Cabinet on its official Facebook page and has been presented as a landmark commercial partnership for EgyptAir.

As part of the arrangement, the airline’s logo will appear on the shirts worn by Barcelona’s handball team.

The Egyptian government statement described the sponsorship of “one of the oldest sporting clubs in the world” as an unprecedented achievement in the history of EgyptAir.

It added that the deal formed part of the airline’s wider plans to expand its fleet and international route network, while also demonstrating its commitment to continuing to improve its services.

The partnership covers three of Barcelona’s major sporting operations. Alongside the men’s football team, EgyptAir will serve as the exclusive official airline partner for the club’s basketball and handball teams through the conclusion of the 2028-29 campaign.

Barcelona are one of the most prominent sporting institutions in the world, with their football, basketball and handball teams all competing at the highest level in their respective competitions. The agreement therefore gives EgyptAir a presence across several of the club’s best-known professional sections rather than being limited to the football side.

The Catalan club also have an Egyptian player in their ranks. Eighteen-year-old striker Hamza Abdelkarim is part of Barcelona’s squad and is an Egypt international.

Barcelona’s men’s football team recently defeated Egyptian club Al Ahly 2-1 in the Joan Gamper Trophy. That match was their final friendly before the start of the new season.

They then began their La Liga campaign with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Elche on Sunday in the second round of the competition.

The Egyptian Cabinet said the airline partnership should support EgyptAir’s ambitions to strengthen its international operations. The statement linked the deal to plans to increase the size of the company’s fleet and develop its worldwide network, while maintaining a focus on service quality.

The source material also carried separate football headlines concerning Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saying Rodri’s choice of Barcelona was unfortunate for him, and Cristiano Ronaldo fulfilling the dream of a Real Madrid player after making his debut.

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