Newfoundland and Labrador Sponsors Barrow AFC

Newfoundland and Labrador has entered a $171,000 sponsorship deal with Barrow AFC, a fourth-tier English soccer team, to promote its name and website on the team's jerseys in a bid to attract skilled immigrants. The initiative coincided with Barrow's recent match against Chelsea FC, which drew 38,000 fans and significantly increased traffic to the province's immigration website, HomeAwaits.ca, by about 1,200 daily visitors. Despite losing the match 5-0, Barrow has reported positive returns from the sponsorship, with jerseys selling out quickly and gaining substantial online visibility. Spokesperson Ethan Thatcher noted that the sponsorship has resonated with fans, who are enthusiastic about merchandise featuring Newfoundland and Labrador's branding. The deal aims to leverage the global audience of English football to highlight Newfoundland and Labrador as a welcoming place to live and work.