FC Barcelona

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Former FC Barcelona captain Carles Puyol appeared at Midea's booth at IFA 2026 in Berlin, marking a public milestone in the five-year partnership between Midea and FC Barcelona.

Puyol joined Lewis Fu, president of Midea International, to present a personalized FC Barcelona jersey before touring the area dedicated to the Midea SMART MASTER and FC Barcelona collaboration.

Puyol recalls handing the captain's armband to Éric Abidal in 2011

During the appearance, Puyol recounted passing the captain's armband to Éric Abidal and inviting him to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy in 2011. He described leadership as valuing teammates, leading by example, and maintaining high standards until the final whistle.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Midea used IFA 2026 to unveil a wave of AI-driven home appliances and confirm a five-year partnership with FC Barcelona, part of what the company calls its "Simply Ideal" vision.

Midea's new AI ecosystem controls appliances through natural interaction

The SMART MASTER lineup introduces an AI Agent designed for more intuitive control of household tasks, while Midea Robot extends AI into physical chores like cooking, cleaning and laundry. AI ECOMASTER manages energy use across connected appliances by learning household routines and adapting to changing needs.

SPACE MASTER refrigerators add storage without changing exterior size

Midea says the SPACE MASTER line increases usable capacity within the same external dimensions, demonstrated through expanded refrigerator storage space. The BUILT-IN series also debuts Ispira, a Milan-inspired collection combining design with integrated cooking functionality.

Berlin – September 09, 2026 -- Midea unveiled a new AI voice-controlled air conditioner and a broader AI-powered home ecosystem at IFA 2026 in Berlin, alongside a newly announced five-year partnership with FC Barcelona.

Midea's AI Agent lets appliances respond to natural spoken commands

The centerpiece of Midea's booth was SMART MASTER, a showcase for the company's AI Agent, which allows more natural interaction with household appliances. A companion Midea Robot extends AI into physical tasks including cooking, cleaning, laundry and whole-home control. Cliff Liang, General Manager of Enterprise Commercial for the China Region at Microsoft, appeared at the event to discuss the next phase of AI alongside Midea.