According to Italian outlet Gazzetta.it, Serie A giants Inter Milan could become the latest soccer club to be sponsored by a Middle Eastern airline, with them closing in on an agreement with Qatar Airways. Qatar Airways currently sponsors Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter’s Serie A rivals AS Roma, amongst others.
Inter Milan Close To Agreeing Deal With Qatar Airways
As per the aforementioned report, Inter Milan could soon sign a fresh sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways — one of the largest luxury airlines in the world. It has been claimed that Qatar Airways will serve as Nerazzurri’s official carrier partner for the time being, but a bigger collaboration could be on the cards.
Inter Milan currently have a deal with American streaming service Paramount+, with the Serie A giants sporting their logo on the front of their shirts since they entered a partnership in May 2023. However, if the two parties cannot reach an agreement by next summer, Doha-based Qatar Airways could become Inter Milan’s primary sponsor.
The 2020-21 Serie A champions currently have four big sponsors. In addition to Paramount+, Inter have a long-term agreement with mega sporting goods manufacturer Nike and a couple of other smaller agreements with eBay and U-Power. If their deal with Qatar Airways is finalized, it would make them a part of an elite group of top European teams that are sponsored by Middle Eastern airlines.
Middle Eastern Airlines And Mega Sponsorships
Middle Eastern airlines have dominated the world of soccer in recent years. Almost all the top-tier soccer clubs have some sort of sponsorship agreement with the likes of Fly Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways.
From Real Madrid and PSG to Manchester City and AC Milan, many clubs from the top five European leagues sport the logos of Middle Eastern airlines on the front of their home, away, and third shirts. And the list is likely to grow in the coming days.
Emirates, Qatar, and Etihad are undoubtedly the three major players in the segment, but they are not the only ones. Recently, Riyadh Air announced its arrival in the world of soccer by signing a massive front-of-shirt deal with La Liga giants Atletico Madrid. Surprisingly, Riyadh Air will not even launch its services until early 2025.
