Barcelona's partnership with Uber sets off 'alarm bells' among the city's taxi drivers who are set for a 'total strike' in protest

FC Barcelona are set to officially announce a sponsorship deal with ride-sharing giant Uber, making the U.S. multinational an official mobility partner of the club. The agreement, scheduled for unveiling on Wednesday, has triggered an immediate backlash from the local taxi community, led by the influential Elite Taxi union.

In response, Elite Taxi has declared a "total strike" across the metropolitan area on the day of Barca's Champions League match against Olympiacos. The group plans a mass protest beginning at 5pm, including roadblocks leading up to the Estadi Olimpic in Montjuic and the club offices on Travessera de les Corts. The aim is to force direct dialogue with club representatives and publicly condemn what the union describes as Barca's "alliance with the criminals at Uber."

Taxi drivers will mobilise in two separate columns from Avenida Maria Cristina, surrounding both the stadium and club headquarters, while informational pickets will also be set up at El Prat Airport and Sants station. The protest is expected to disrupt mobility across the city, reflecting the depth of anger within the local taxi sector. Despite earlier efforts to establish a cooperation deal with Barcelona, Elite Taxi said their proposal was rejected, leaving this strike as their only remaining form of protest.

Elite Taxi released a lengthy statement condemning the deal and questioning the club's moral and historical integrity: "Futbol Club Barcelona has announced an agreement with Uber to make it its new mobility partner. It is a move that has surprised thousands of Barcelon fans and Catalans who see Barca as more than just a club: a symbol of identity, dignity and commitment to the values of our country.

"Uber is not just any transport company, nor does it represent innovation in mobility. It is a global corporation that has built its empire on deregulation, job insecurity and tax evasion, using its resources to alter rules and weaken essential public services, including taxis, which are a service of general interest in Barcelona.

"Barca was born from community commitment, collective effort and an idea of country. Throughout its history, the club has represented much more than sport: it was a moral refuge and a symbol of dignity during the darkest years, when Catalonia was forbidden to express itself. "It is difficult to understand that the club that was born from this spirit is today associated with a company like Uber, which represents greed over justice and speculation over effort.

"Uber does not represent modernity, but a predatory model that threatens the social contract. It is the dictatorship of data and money, where decisions are no longer made in parliaments or stadiums, but in the offices of corporations that answer to no one.

"Joan Laporta, in his first stage as president, placed the UNICEF logo on his shirt. That gesture was an ethical statement and transcended football. Today, the board has the opportunity to remember where it comes from and who it is, before it is too late.

"Uber has been sanctioned in multiple countries for unfair competition, tax evasion and violations of labour rights. Meanwhile, the Barcelona taxi was fulfilling its duty - evacuating victims during the Las Ramblas attacks and transporting the sick during the pandemic without charge.

"From Elite Taxi Catalunya, we ask the Barca board to reflect - not to be fooled by the mirage of modernity. There is still time to correct the mistake and preserve the moral greatness of the club. If it persists in the alliance with Uber, the Catalan taxi will rise once again, with all its strength. Barca was the voice of a people that could not speak. Today, it has the opportunity not to sell itself."

The deal with Uber marks the latest addition to a growing list of commercial partnerships under Joan Laporta's presidency, aimed at stabilising Barcelona's fragile finances. The club has already renewed the major sponsorship with Spotify and signed lucrative deals with Midea and the Democratic Republic of Congo, collectively worth hundreds of millions of euros.

Uber's entry as an official mobility partner comes at a time when Barca are preparing for their return to Camp Nou and ramping up global marketing initiatives to maximise revenue. Wednesday's signing ceremony is expected to feature club director Manel del Rio, Uber Iberia's Felipe Fernandez Aramburu, and young defender Pau Cubarsi, symbolising the brand's local integration push.

However, taxi unions view the move as a betrayal of the club’s working-class roots and civic responsibility. The partnership may bring much-needed income, but it also risks inflaming tensions in a city where the taxi sector has long fought against Uber's business model.

Elite Taxi's planned strike is expected to cause significant disruptions throughout Barcelona next Tuesday evening when Barcelona face off against Olympiacos in the Champions League. Thousands of taxis will take part in coordinated demonstrations across key transport hubs, with police on alert for potential traffic gridlocks near Montjuic and the Camp Nou offices.

The club, meanwhile, has yet to issue an official response to the criticism. While the Uber deal represents another step in the Catalan side's financial recovery, it may also spark a wider debate about the balance between commercial pragmatism and social values. How the Laporta administration navigates this controversy could shape the club's public image in the months to come.

For now, the city braces for a tense day of protest that underscores deep divisions between Barcelona's most powerful sporting institution and one of its oldest working-class symbols. What was meant to be a sponsorship celebration has instead reignited a civic battle over identity, ethics, and the meaning of being "more than a club."

Felipe Fernández Aramburu, Uber GM in Spain and Portugal, said in a statement: “Our partnership with FC Barcelona reflects Uber’s deep commitment to the city and its people. Today, more than 2,000 Barcelona taxi drivers collaborate with Uber, and this alliance strengthens that partnership by improving sustainable mobility around the new Spotify Camp Nou and the Espai Barça. Far from replacing the taxi sector, this initiative supports local drivers, enhances transport options for residents and visitors, and reinforces our long-term goal of making mobility in Barcelona more accessible, efficient and environmentally responsible."