Liverpool Football Club has confirmed a landmark five-year front-of-shirt sponsorship agreement with Turkish Airlines, set to commence at the start of the 2027-28 season. The deal, valued at more than £300 million (approximately $405 million), will see the Turkish carrier replace Standard Chartered, whose contract expires at the end of the current campaign.
Record-Breaking Commercial Terms
Club sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicate the partnership is worth in excess of £60 million per season. Liverpool believe this makes it the most lucrative “front of shirt only” commercial agreement in Premier League history. Standard Chartered, which has adorned the club’s shirts since replacing brewer Carlsberg in 2010, currently pays around £50 million per season. The bank will remain involved with Liverpool as a global partner after its shirt sponsorship ends next May.
Historic Sixth Shirt Sponsor
Turkish Airlines will become only the sixth front-of-shirt sponsor in Liverpool’s history, following Hitachi (1979-1982), Crown Paints (1982-1988), Candy (1988-1992), Carlsberg (1992-2010), and Standard Chartered (2010-2027). The club’s existing partnership with Japan Airlines remains unchanged, with that contract due to expire next May prior to the Turkish Airlines deal taking effect.
Executive Statements
Liverpool’s chief commercial officer Ben Latty, who negotiated the agreement, described the announcement as a significant moment for the club.
“This is a milestone announcement for us and we are delighted to welcome Turkish Airlines as our main club partner from June 2027,” Latty said. “The front of the Liverpool shirt holds a special place in the history of our club. Turkish Airlines is a globally recognised organisation with an extensive international network, and we look forward to beginning our partnership and building a strong relationship together.”
Turkish Airlines CEO Ahmet Olmustur emphasized the global stature of both brands.
“Liverpool Football Club is one of the world’s most recognised and respected football clubs, with an exceptional heritage and a truly global community of supporters,” said Turkish Airlines CEO Ahmet Olmustur. “We are very pleased that Turkish Airlines will become the club’s main club partner and that our name will take its place on one of the most iconic shirts in world sport.”
Premier League Commercial Landscape Analysis
Analysis from football news reporter Philip Buckingham highlights the growing importance of commercial revenues amid football’s era of financial restrictions. While precise figures remain unpublished—wrapped into a single commercial total in club accounts—Liverpool’s deal is unlikely to be surpassed in the Premier League for a front-of-shirt-only arrangement.
Manchester United’s partnership with Qualcomm, featuring its Snapdragon subsidiary branding on shirts, has previously been reported by The Athletic to be worth in the region of £60 million per year, placing the two rivals on a broadly similar level. Manchester City’s long-standing deal with Etihad Airways and Arsenal’s association with Emirates Airlines are thought to yield higher totals, but those agreements also encompass stadium naming rights.
The five-year deal, running through to 2033, arrives at a time when other clubs have struggled to secure long-term partners. Chelsea began a fourth consecutive Premier League season without a front-of-shirt sponsor before eventually striking a one-year partnership with Circle Internet Group for the current campaign, with their search for a long-term deal ongoing.
Liverpool’s latest commercial improvement also illustrates the widening gulf between the so-called “big six” and the rest of the Premier League. Aston Villa’s record front-of-shirt deal with Visit Rwanda is worth up to £20 million a year, a similar level to Newcastle United’s new arrangement with Knox. Many other Premier League clubs would consider a deal one-sixth the size of Liverpool’s latest agreement a significant success.
