Chelsea cancel Oman Air sponsorship deal amid PSR problems

Chelsea have abruptly terminated their sponsorship deal with Oman Air, according to The Telegraph. 

The decision has cast a long shadow over the club’s finances just eight months after the partnership was announced.

The multi-year deal was worth £2 million annually, and Oman Air would become Chelsea’s official airline partner. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino even participated in the announcement alongside officials from the airline.

However, the airline’s logo has vanished from the club’s website, and the club has confirmed the termination.

This unexpected move leaves Chelsea with a significant sponsorship problem. The club does not have confirmed partners for the first team’s front-of-shirt, sleeve, or airline positions next season.

Chelsea and Oman Air have remained tight-lipped on the reasons for the termination, but speculation suggests the issue originated with Oman Air, forcing Chelsea to agree to cancel the deal.

The £2 million figure might seem insignificant in the Premier League’s financial landscape, but sponsorships are crucial for Chelsea’s compliance with Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). 

The club recently reported a pre-tax loss of £90.1 million for the year ending June 30, 2023.  

Despite assurances of adhering to Premier League and UEFA regulations, rival clubs remain sceptical. They believe Chelsea need to offload at least £100 million worth of players before June 30 to avoid sanctions.

Chelsea have been trying to sell off academy players like Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah, and Armando Broja to generate funds.

This sponsorship setback adds to Chelsea’s ongoing search for first-team shirt sponsors for the upcoming season.  

Current shirt sponsor Infinite Athlete will transition to a sleeve sponsor for training kits, while BingX, initially announced as the first-team sleeve sponsor, will now sponsor the training kit instead.

Chelsea need a front-of-shirt sponsor for next season. They continue to explore options, but this cancelled deal with Oman Air does not make for good optics.