New Energy Vehicle manufacturer BYD has announced an agreement to become the Official Automotive Partner of Manchester City Football Club. As well as supplying vehicles to Manchester City, BYD Group will also provide vehicle charging and energy-storage batteries at City Football Academy, the Club’s training and development facility and home to the men’s, women’s and academy teams.
From this week, BYD’s branding will feature on the training-kit sleeve of the men’s first team and from next season the women’s first team. In addition, BYD will have presence across the Etihad Stadium, with the brand’s logo featuring on the headrests of the dug-out area. One of the company’s cars will also lead the official Manchester City men’s first team bus into the stadium for Premier League and domestic-cup home fixtures.
The new partnership is the latest step in BYD’s strategy to establish a presence in international football to enhance awareness of the brand, cars and other technology products. The Company has previously been the official sponsor of the UEFA EURO 2024 and UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2025.
Commenting, Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive Officer at City Football Group, said: “BYD are global leaders within their field. Leaders in delivering excellence through technology and innovation. This is why we are so proud to be BYD’s chosen partner and commit to work together for a better and more sustainable future for the duration of this multi-year partnership.”
BYD started as a battery manufacturer just over 30 years ago. It made its first New Energy Vehicle (NEV), the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid, in 2008, and has since firmly established itself as the global NEV leader, with record sales of both EVs and Super Hybrid PHEVs, and a market presence in more than 110 countries and regions. In Ireland BYD has gone from strength to strength since its 2003 arrival, achieving a top-4 position in Ireland’s EV sales league for 2026 with over 1,000 units sold in January alone.
