FC Basel has a new main sponsor. From the 2025/26 season, the FCB jersey will no longer be adorned by Novartis, but by crypto broker Bitpanda.
Novartis has been the main sponsor of FC Basel since 2004. The pharmaceutical company is now withdrawing and will only provide financial support for the youth and women's sections in future.
FCB has found a new main sponsor in Bitpanda. A three-year contract has been signed with the crypto trader. "From next season, the Austrian company will adorn the first team's shirt as well as be visible in and around St. Jakob-Park," the Bebbi announced on their website on Tuesday.
"We are proud and delighted to welcome Bitpanda to the FCB family as our new main sponsor. Both companies stand for innovation and the ambition to break new ground," club president David Degen is quoted as saying in the press release.
Bitpanda is also a sponsor of Bayern and PSG
Initial reactions from fans on social media have been mixed. Some are delighted that a "B" now adorns the Basel jersey. Others miss the sponsor's connection to the region. "What does this have to do with Basel?" asks one user on social media. Another writes: "Are there no more companies in Basel or Switzerland?" And a third fan threatens: "I'll never buy a shirt again."
However, the critical comments were also met with a headwind. "People were already moaning about Novartis when they became the main sponsor. Be glad it's not Red Bull!" writes one fan. And one user emphasizes: "Other teams would be happy to have such a sponsor. This is a brutal move from a financial and economic point of view and we are simply dependent on the money."
FCB is by no means the first club to have Bitpanda involved in sport. Top European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Bayern Munich are also sponsored by the crypto retailer. Bitpanda also has partnerships with tennis stars Stan Wawrinka and Alexander Zverev as well as the Swiss ATP tournaments in Basel and Geneva.
