Tokyo, Japan – September 3, 2013 – LINE Corporation, owners and operators of the free calling and messaging app, “LINE”, announced that it has obtained a license from FC Barcelona, a world-class soccer club, to develop several FCB branded digital goods, in order to further enlarge its overseas user base.

FC Barcelona (Futbol Club Barcelona), established in 1899, is a top soccer club based in Barcelona, Spain. It has clinched the champion spot at the FIFA Club World Cup twice, the UEFA Champions League four times, the La Liga league 22 times, and boasts over 170,000 members worldwide.

As a part of the agreement, FC Barcelona will operate an Official Account on LINE. Users can add the club’s account as a friend to receive flash reports on latest news and upcoming events on LINE. 

LINE users can also download original LINE stickers featuring the team’s players for free by adding the Official Account as a friend.

More paid stickers featuring popular players of the club will be introduced in the near future. Characters based on these players will also be appearing in LINE family apps, such as “LINE GAME” and “LINE camera”, and producing original rooms on “LINE PLAY” in collaboration with the service.

LINE Corporation aims to accelerate its penetration into the European and South American markets through this agreement, and further increase its overseas user numbers.

■Details regarding FC Barcelona’s Official Account and stickers

Region: Global, excluding China

Available languages in the launch: Japan, English, Spanish, Catalan and Portuguese.