OFFICIAL: Rakuten named as FC Barcelona's new official shirt sponsor
The Japanese company will replace Qatar Airways on the front of the club's shirts
Rakuten, a Japanese electronic commerce and Internet company based in Tokyo, is the new sponsor for Barcelona’s first team shirt. The club made the announcement official on Wednesday in an event at the Auditori 1899, where president Josep Maria Bartomeu, vice president Manel Arroyo and Rakuten’s Hiroshi Mikitani explained the details of the four-year agreement.
Rakuten will replace Qatar Airways on the shirt once the board of directors, who met on Wednesday morning, ratify the decision at an extraordinary assembly, which will likely take place on Dec. 18 to coincide with the Catalan derby against Espanyol.
Therefore, with the confirmation of Rakuten, the speculation over who will be the club’s new sponsor comes to an end. Barça had already announced they were looking for a replacement for Qatar Airways, who have now sponsored the club in one way or another for six years. It’s taken one year longer than expected, with many multinational companies and brands spoken with, but finally Barça have a new sponsor for next season.
