Liverpool get their UEFA Champions League campaign under way on home soil this week, with Atletico Madrid the visitors to Anfield on Wednesday.
Kick-off is at 8pm, with Andoni Iraola taking charge of his first Champions League fixture as a manager.
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The two sides met at the same stage of the competition last September, when Liverpool won 3-2 at Anfield.
Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah put the hosts ahead before Marcos Llorente struck twice for Atletico, only for Virgil van Dijk to score the winner. Liverpool have now won each of their last three Champions League meetings with the Spanish club.
While attention turns to matters on the pitch, there has been a significant development off it too, with Liverpool confirming an update to their commercial operation that will shape the club’s identity for years to come.
Liverpool have announced that Turkish Airlines will become the club’s main partner from June 1, 2027.
The airline’s branding will appear on the front of the men’s, women’s and Academy match shirts from the start of the 2027-28 season.
According to The Athletic’s James Pearce, club sources speaking on condition of anonymity say the five-year deal is worth more than £300 million to Liverpool. The club expect it to be worth in excess of £60 million per season.
Turkish Airlines will replace Standard Chartered, who have been Liverpool’s main partner since 2010. The switch represents the first change to the role in 17 years. Standard Chartered will remain associated with the club, moving into a global partner role from the 2027-28 season.
The new agreement makes Turkish Airlines the sixth front-of-shirt sponsor in Liverpool’s history, following previous partnerships with Hitachi, Crown Paints, Candy, Carlsberg and Standard Chartered.
Liverpool’s chief commercial officer, Ben Latty, called the announcement a milestone.
“This is a milestone announcement for us and we are delighted to welcome Turkish Airlines as our main club partner from June 2027,” Latty said.
Latty also pointed to the significance of the front of the shirt in the club’s history. “The front of the Liverpool shirt holds a special place in the history of our club,” he said.
He linked the partnership to Liverpool’s past with the airline’s home city.
“Turkish Airlines is a globally recognised organisation with an extensive international network, and we look forward to beginning our partnership and building a strong relationship together, with already strong foundations built from those special memories back in 2005,” Latty said.
That reference points to Liverpool’s Champions League triumph in Istanbul in 2005, when the club came from three goals down to beat AC Milan on penalties in the final.
The commercial announcement lands during a period of change at the club more broadly. 1892 Holdings, a consortium led by Liverpool vice-chairman Amit Bhatia, purchased a stake of around 38% in the club last month.
For now, though, the immediate focus is on Wednesday’s game against Atletico Madrid, as Liverpool look to open their new Champions League campaign with a result at Anfield.
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