‘Best for the image of FC Barcelona’: Joan Laporta wants Unicef back on shirt front

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta says he will do his best to put the name of Unicef or another humanitarian cause back in a prominent position on the team shirt if he returns to the helm in next month's elections.

Laporta negotiated the initial deal with Unicef almost 10 years ago during his previous spell as president from 2003 to 2010. That deal resulted in a logo being on Barcelona’s shirt for the first time in the club’s history.

Under the previous board, led by Sandro Rosell and then Josep Maria Bartomeu, deals were struck to have first the Qatar Foundation and then Qatar Airways on the front of the shirt while the Unicef name relegated to the back.

“I will do my best. I will do my best to get a sponsor that makes it possible so that we have Unicef again on our shirt or another motif that carries a similar meaning to Unicef,” he said on Monday.

Laporta said he has doubts that the contract with Qatar that runs until next year is the best option for the club.

“They didn’t explain the contract,” he said. “Nobody knows what they signed under the former presidency with Qatar.

“There were a lot of fans complaining who wanted to know more, and I am suspicious that it is not a good contract for FC Barcelona.

“In any case, we prefer Unicef. We think that it is the best for the image of FC Barcelona to be committed with a society like this, and it is a way that we have to return to the world society what they are giving to us.”

Laporta said Barca were respected around the world not just for their football but for their work with Unicef when he was president.

The last board, he said, “are Qatar”.

“We are Unicef. They were saying things that I didn’t believe – that only Qatar is the proposal that we could have,” he said.

“Everyone admired us, we were champions. We won a lot with a genuine style of playing football, but at the same time because we had Unicef on the shirt and we helped develop programmes for vulnerable children.”

Laporta faces stiff opposition from outgoing president Bartomeu in the elections on July 18 following Barcelona’s treble success last season.

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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The UN General Assembly President in quotes:

YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”

PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”

OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”

REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”

British Grand Prix free practice times in the third and final session at Silverstone on Saturday (top five):

1. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 1:28.063 (18 laps)

2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) 1:28.095 (14)

3. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1:28.137 (20)

4. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Ferrari) 1:28.732 (15)

5. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Renault) 1:29.480 (14)