Qatar Airways becomes AS Roma’s Main Global Partner

Friday, 27 April 2018 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Qatar Airways has signed a multi-year partnership agreement with Italian football club AS Roma, further strengthening the airline’s rapidly growing commitment to Italy.

The agreement, the largest ever signed by the club, will see Qatar Airways become AS Roma’s Main Global Partner, with the airline’s logo to adorn the team’s shirts through the 2020-2021 season.

Qatar Airways will be only the seventh shirt sponsor in the club’s 90-year history.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “AS Roma is one of the most successful and well-known football clubs in the world, and our shared passion to strive for excellence and innovation makes this a natural partnership. As an airline, we understand the power of sport in bringing people together, and our new partnership with AS Roma further underscores this belief. We look forward to working together and celebrating with AS Roma fans all over the globe.”

The airline currently flies twice a day to Rome and Milan, as well as daily to Venice and Pisa.

Last year, Qatar Airways acquired 49% of AQA Holdings, the new parent company of Air Italy. Meridiana, Italy’s long established privately owned airline, entered into a new phase of growth and development with its new identity as Air Italy last year.

Additionally, the airline earlier this month celebrated its partnership with the ABB FIA Formula E Championship in Rome, where the airline was represented as the Official Airline Partner of the 2018 CBMM Niobium Rome E-Prix presented by Mercedes EQ.

AS Roma President Jim Pallotta said: “This deal is the result of discussions behind the scenes for more than eight months with Qatar Airways, led by our commercial team in London with much assistance from the entire Roma team, and comes at a significant time in the club’s history, on and off the pitch. With a new stadium due to begin construction late this year and the team in the Champions League semi-final for the first time for 34 years, it’s an exciting time to be a Roma fan. We shall be proud to wear the Qatar Airways name on our shirts and we look forward to working together to achieve sporting and commercial success for many years to come.”

Last month, Qatar Airways signed a five-year partnership agreement with the German football team FC Bayern München AG, through which the airline will become an FC Bayern München platinum partner until June 2023.