Ed Sheeran Joins Barcelona’s Starting Lineup -- On Their Jersey For El Clásico

Last Updated:October 14, 2025, 15:06 IST

Ed Sheeran becomes first male solo pop artist to feature on Barça’s iconic kit

(Credit: FC Barcelona)

For the seventh edition of Spotify and FC Barcelona’s “artist jersey" series, global music superstar Ed Sheeran will be the newest name to grace the front of the club’s world-famous shirt.

When Barça face Real Madrid on October 26 in El Clásico, they’ll do so wearing a special kit emblazoned with the title of Sheeran’s upcoming album, Play.

The collaboration makes the British singer-songwriter the first-ever male solo pop artist to front the Blaugrana jersey.

The special emblem will debut earlier in the women’s Liga F match against Granada CF on October 19, before taking global center stage in the men’s El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu a week later.

Following in superstar footsteps

Sheeran joins an exclusive list of global music icons who’ve fronted Barcelona’s shirt through the club’s ongoing partnership with Spotify — a collaboration that celebrates the intersection of music, sport, and culture.

Previous editions have featured Drake, Rosalía, Coldplay, Karol G, The Rolling Stones, and Travis Scott — all part of a bold initiative to blend the worlds of football and global pop artistry.

“Seeing Play on the Barça shirt is something I’m really proud of," said Sheeran. “I’m a big fan of football and of FC Barcelona, and I love that we get to merge the worlds of music and football in such a fun way."

Extending the experience beyond the pitch

For the first time, the partnership will also expand into gaming. On October 23, the special-edition Barça kit will appear in eFootball, allowing millions of players around the world to digitally wear Sheeran’s design — an unprecedented move in the Spotify–Barça collaboration.

To mark the release, the club and Spotify have launched a capsule collection inspired by nostalgia and Sheeran’s musical roots.

The collection features a retro 2004/2005 jersey design — a nod to the period when Sheeran first began recording music — and includes 1,899 limited-edition kits, referencing FC Barcelona’s founding year.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will don the special-edition jersey, highlighting the unity between Barça’s squads and their shared global fan base.

Lewandowski and players embrace the crossover

“Ed’s songs have been part of our playlist for a long time," said Barça striker Robert Lewandowski. “Seeing his new album on the shirt feels really special. Music and football unite fans in powerful ways, and I’m proud to represent that connection on the pitch."

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

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News sports Ed Sheeran Joins Barcelona’s Starting Lineup -- On Their Jersey For El Clásico

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