Barbican announced as Regional Partner of the AFC’s club competitions
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced Barbican – the popular beverage brand – as a regional partner of the AFC’s top club competitions, which include the AFC Champions League Elite™, the AFC Women’s Champions League™, and the AFC Champions League Two™ in select West Asian markets for the current season (2024-2025).
Barbican is one of the top non-alcoholic malt beverage producers in Asia, with extensive reach and popularity across several markets in the Continent, particularly in West Asia. Through this partnership, Barbican will aim to build a closer relationship with football fans and expand its consumer base in key markets within the West Asian region.
Datuk Seri Windsor John, the AFC General Secretary, said: “The AFC is delighted to welcome Barbican to our family of regional partners, which reinforces the palpable value and prestige of the AFC’s revamped club competitions, and we thank Barbican for the faith they have underlined in Asian football through this landmark partnership.
“Our fans in West Asia are some of the most passionate in world football and we look forward to working in close collaboration with Barbican to create more engaging experiences for our supporters and bringing to life mutually beneficial outcomes for the AFC and Barbican.”
Barbican will utilise this partnership to launch promotional activities, content initiatives, and activations to engage football fans across its key markets, taking advantage of the ever-growing reach of the AFC’s club competitions.
Abdulla Aujan, Executive Chairman of Aujan Group Holding, said: “We are honored to partner with the Asian Football Confederation and support these iconic tournaments that showcase the pinnacle of football in Asia. For over 40 years, Barbican has been committed to bringing people together, and this collaboration aligns perfectly with our belief that football, much like our beverages, transcends boundaries and creates lasting connections. This is more than a sponsorship—it’s a celebration of shared passion, unity, and unforgettable moments.”
Patrick Murphy, CEO of AFG said: “We are delighted to be welcoming an exciting and highly engaging partner like Barbican to the AFC family. The growth of the AFC’s partner portfolio demonstrates the resounding success of the newly launched club competitions, even within their very first season. We thank Barbican for putting their trust in AFC club football and look forward to working with them to engage fans across their target markets.”
About the AFC
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six Confederations making up FIFA. Established in 1954, the AFC is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and comprises 47 Member Associations.
The AFC organises the AFC Asian Cup™, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup™ and the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ which are the flagship Continental national team football and futsal competitions, while the AFC Champions League Elite™ and AFC Women’s Champions League™ are the premier competitions for Asian clubs, drawing millions of fans to the beautiful game across the length and breadth of the Continent and beyond.
About Barbican
Established in 1982, Barbican has become one of the region’s leading non-alcoholic malt beverage brands. Proudly homegrown and made in Saudi Arabia, Barbican has established itself as a leader in the category, built on a foundation of quality, innovation, and diverse flavours that cater to evolving consumer preferences.
About Asia Football Group
Asia Football Group (AFG) is the exclusive commercial agency for the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) competitions from 2023-2028. AFG’s partnership with the AFC covers the commercial rights for all major AFC National Team and Club competitions, including the AFC Asian Cup™, AFC Asian Qualifiers™, AFC Women’s Asian Cup™, AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifiers, AFC Champions League Elite™, AFC Women’s Champions League™, and AFC Champions League Two™ as well as AFC youth and futsal competitions.