FC Barcelona could return to a shirt without a front sponsor when the current shirt sponsorship with Qatar Airways expires in 2016, according to Spanish reports.
Barcelona was the last big team still playing without a shirt sponsor until the 2007/08 when they introduced the non-commercial sponsor Unicef on the front. A few years later though, in 2011, Barcelona first had a commercial front shirt sponsorship in Qatar Foundation which made place for Qatar Airways starting in 2013-14.
FC Barcelona Without Shirt Sponsor From 2016?
This is what the current FC Barcelona 2014-15 Home Shirt would look like without a shirt sponsor.
Barcelona closed a five-year €150m deal with Qatar Sports Investments starting in 2011, which for the first two seasons saw Qatar Foundation on the front of the shirts which was then replaced by Qatar Airways.
FC Barcelona would have to inform Nike until September 2015 to be able to design and produce the Barcelona Kits in time for the following season, but the reports are stating the matter could already be discussed at the club's general assembly later this month.
Barcelona lately closed many smaller sponsorship deals with brands like Beko, Intel, or most recently Gillette which might enable them to do without a big-money main shirt sponsor. Barcelona is also hoping to improve the shirt supplier deal when the agreement with Nike ends in 2018.