Qatar Airways has partnered with football powerhouses Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, while Emirates and Etihad Airways have also established deep footprints in the global football. In China, Xiamen Airlines leveraged its collaboration with the Wanda Diamond League’s Xiamen stop to promote both the city of Xiamen and its corporate brand worldwide.
According to Botong Zhu, Global Vice President of Dentsu Sports International, this is no coincidence but the result of clear industry logic:
“There is a natural synergy between airlines and sporting events. A major tournament often involves the cross-border movement of hundreds of thousands of fans, and airlines are the best partners to carry this migration.”
“Secondly, the global exposure that sports deliver aligns perfectly with the core business goals of airlines. Aviation is inherently a cross-border business, with networks spanning Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Sporting events, meanwhile, are among the few forms of content with no cultural barriers—competition, goals, and victory are universal narratives. For airlines, the ROI on sports marketing is often far higher than other communication channels.”
“Sports marketing by airlines is not solely about financial sponsorship. With flight capacity, ticketing resources, and even customized services, airlines can build integrated partnerships with event organizers through resource exchange.”
“In other words, airlines are not just partners of the event, but part of the audience journey itself. This approach not only improves cost efficiency but also embeds their products and services directly into the consumer journey, creating a true closed loop from exposure to conversion.”
“In some cases, we even see sports marketing helping airlines position themselves as national symbols. Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emirates are enhancing national visibility and cultural soft power through such collaborations. Similarly, Xiamen Airlines’ partnership with the Diamond League amplifies the dual effect of city branding and corporate branding.”
Although sports marketing spans many disciplines, football holds the central position in the sponsorship landscape of Middle Eastern “mega-carriers.” Whether it’s world-class clubs or tournaments, football has become their top choice.
In reality, football remains the undisputed “world’s No. 1 sport,” with more than 3.5 billion fans worldwide—making it the most widely covered and highly engaging sports ecosystem.
