MENA

The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club has sealed a five-year extension to its long-term partnership with French gas and oil giant Total.

Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club and Qatar Petroleum International, which represents the Gulf state’s energy portfolio globally, have signed a sponsorship deal encompassing this year’s horse racing showpiece, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

English Premier League champion Manchester United has announced regional sponsorship agreements with Commercial Bank of Qatar and Emirates NBD Bank.

Arabian Gulf League football club Al Ain has reached a three-year deal to make Abu Dhabi Airports its premium partner.

Spanish Liga football club Barcelona has agreed a three-year partnership with UAE-based financial institution United Arab Bank.

UAE Pro League football club Al Nasr has signed a one-year extension to its partnership with Emirates NBD which will see the banking group continue as its main sponsor.

The Oman Ministry of Tourism has agreed to become the official destination partner of the 2013 edition of the Cowes Week sailing regatta.

Standard Chartered Bahrain has agreed to become one of the official sponsors of the 2013 Bahrain Marathon Relay, according to the Bahrain News Agency.

Multinational consumer products manufacturer P&G has announced an extension of its partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Olympic Committee for the second year of the UAE School Olympics programme.

UAE English-language newspaper 7DAYS has renewed its partnership as the official newspaper of golf’s World Tour Championship to take in the 2013 edition of the final event on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.

The Emirates airline continued its big spending on football shirt sponsorships last month, signing off deals with Spanish Liga club Real Madrid, French Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain, and US club New York Cosmos, with a combined value of around €60m ($80m) per season.

Uefa, football’s European governing body, has opened the sales process for the next cycle of sponsorship rights to the Champions League, Europa League and Super Cup club competitions.

United Arab Emirates-based travel website Musafir.com has signed up Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar as its brand ambassador.

PepsiCo has extended a sponsorship deal with the Jordan Football Association in a three-year deal, from 2013-14 to 2015-16.