Liverpool FC (LFC), of English soccer’s top-tier Premier League, has confirmed national flag carrier Turkish Airlines as the club’s new principal partner from the 2027-28 season.
The new agreement will see Turkish Airlines become LFC’s main partner from June 1, 2027, with the carrier’s branding to appear on the front of the men’s, women’s, and academy match shirts.
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The deal covers the front-of-shirt designation only. Japan Airlines is the club’s current official airline partner until the end of the 2026-27 season.
While the official announcement did not detail the length or value of the pair’s contract, The Athletic news outlet said the deal will last five years and is worth more than £300 million ($405 million), according to club sources.
If correct, the deal will be worth around £60 million per season running through 2031-32, making it the most lucrative ‘front of shirt only’ agreement in Premier League history.
Ahmet Olmustur, Turkish Airlines chief executive, said: “Liverpool Football Club is one of the world’s most recognized and respected football clubs, with an exceptional heritage and a truly global community of supporters.
“This partnership brings together two global brands united by their international reach, commitment to excellence and ability to inspire millions of people around the world.
“The agreement also marks an important new chapter in Turkish Airlines’ long-standing support for global sport. We believe in the unique power of sport to transcend borders and bring communities together.”
The announcement marks the first change in the club’s front-of-shirt sponsor in 17 years, having donned the logo of Standard Chartered since 2010.
The bank, whose contract expires at the end of the current campaign, will continue its commercial ties to the club by transitioning to a global partner from the 2027-28 season.
Turkish Airlines is the sixth front-of-shirt sponsor in LFC’s history, following Hitachi, Crown Paints, Candy, Carlsberg, and Standard Chartered.
Ben Latty, chief commercial officer at LFC, said: “Turkish Airlines is a globally recognized organization with an extensive international network, and we look forward to beginning our partnership and building a strong relationship together, with already strong foundations built from those special memories back in 2005.
“This announcement also provides an opportunity to recognize the extraordinary contribution Standard Chartered has made to Liverpool FC over the past 17 years.
“As we prepare for this transition, we look forward to this new season and welcoming Turkish Airlines as our main club partner from June 2027.”
For Turkish Airlines, it adds to the company’s growing list of soccer sponsorships, having partnerships in place with European soccer’s UEFA (official sponsor) and the Turkish Football Federation (main sponsor), as well as local clubs Trabzonspor and Basaksehir.
Away from soccer, the carrier also has sponsorships with golf’s DP World Tour as a title sponsor of the Turkish Airlines Open, cycling’s Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkiye, and rugby’s Slater Cup.
Meanwhile, Premier League rivals Manchester United have announced a new sleeve partnership with financial technology company SumUp.
The new agreement will see SumUp’s logo branded on the sleeves of the men’s, women’s, and academy teams in all competitions, as well as at the men’s Old Trafford stadium and the women’s Progress with Unity Stadium.
The first fixture the men’s team will don the sleeve patch, will be their return to Europe’s top-tier Champions League against Sabah on Thursday (September 10).
SumUp replaces DXC Technology, whose four-season sleeve sponsorship ended in August. Since then, the team has featured Premier League patches for their opening games, as is required by league regulations.
Marc Armstrong, United’s chief business officer, said: “SumUp is a rapidly growing global business, and we are delighted to welcome them to Manchester United as our official sleeve partner.
“The new agreement supports our commercial growth strategy and reflects the continued appeal of Manchester United as a platform for ambitious brands looking to connect with audiences around the world.”
The deal follows the club announcing the new training kit partner last month, with gambling company Betway signing on.
Luke Griffiths, SumUp’s chief commercial officer, said: “Football is about the moments people share: watching the match with friends, travelling to see the team, wearing the shirt with pride and celebrating together, wherever you are.
“Through this partnership, we want to connect with Manchester United fans in those moments, introducing more people to SumUp and creating experiences that make being a supporter even more rewarding.”
