FC Barcelona formalizes partnership with Uber after conflict with taxi sector resolved

FC Barcelona officially announced its new partnership with Uber on Wednesday, following the resolution of the conflict with the taxi sector.

The deal will see Uber becoming the new team's official partner until 2027.

Manel del Río, the club's general manager, celebrated the agreement with Uber, saying it will "facilitate mobility and access to Camp Nou for fans."

"Barcelona has complex mobility challenges, and we are part of the city and want to help improve it," he said during the presentation of the deal, which was attended by player Pau Cubarsí.

Del Río added that returning to the new stadium is "just around the corner," and that Uber can "bring an added value in terms of technology" to support mobility.

He also noted that taxi drivers are a key part of the city and believes this agreement adds "additional value" to that ecosystem.

The agreement sees a new collection point for Uber users across Spotify Camp Nou, and other Espai Barça facilities, as well as implementing "sustainable mobility options," such as Uber's recently launched 100% electric service.

Felipe Fernández Aramburu, Uber's general manager for Spain and Portugal, said he was "proud" to sign the deal with Barça.

"It is just the beginning of a collaboration between us and a key city, not only in Spain but also globally," he said.

"When Barça plays, Barcelona gets moving," he added. "We see it in our app: during the last El Clásico, the city recorded double the trips of a normal Sunday."

In fact, Fernández explained that the day with the highest number of Uber trips in the city's history was an El Clásico. A similar situation was recorded during the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, with a 30% increase on trips to or from Barcelona Airport.

The Uber executive emphasized that the company wants to "contribute to improving the city’s mobility" and that all their "latest technology, including AI, will be at the club's disposal" for Barça games.

To celebrate the agreement, Uber and FC Barcelona launched a limited edition of Cupra Tavascan with the team's colors.

All Uber users will have the opportunity to travel on one of these 30 vehicles by booking a trip from the 'Electric' section in the app.

Taxi protest canceled after talks

Earlier in the day, Élite Taxi union spokesperson Tito Álvarez confirmed that the dispute was "closed" and stated that the sector would not protest against the club.

Álvarez also announced that the demonstration planned for this afternoon in front of the club’s offices to oppose the deal had been canceled.

According to the taxi union, recent meetings with Barça led the club to include specific clauses in the agreement with Uber requiring the company to "comply" with all legal regulations.

Despite this progress, Álvarez warned that "Uber won’t change," claiming that the company "never complies with the law," and insisted that their "war" against the ride-hailing platform would "continue."

From the club’s side, former president Joan Gaspart, who acted as mediator between the two parties, assured that the agreement was fully legal and emphasized that FC Barcelona "would never sign anything illegal."

As part of the negotiation, the taxi union confirmed that the club has agreed to create a dedicated platform for fans to request taxis at the future Spotify Camp Nou, similar to those available at the airport or Sants Station.

Uber announced, in a statement, that over 2,000 taxi drivers are already offering their taxi services via the Uber app in Barcelona.