All around the world, airlines are involved in partnerships that allow them to advertise their brand to a wider audience. Among the various ways that this can be done is through sports sponsorships, with companies prepared to part with vast sums of money to have their name on teams’ jerseys or stadia, or for their name to prefix that of a competition. Just like aviation, there is a lot of money in sports.
In the US, a notable example of such a deal is American Airlines Center, a basketball and ice hockey arena that bears the name of the Fort Worth-based US legacy carrier and oneworld founding member. Meanwhile, over in the UK, Etihad Airways has given its name to Manchester City FC’s stadium (and sponsored its jerseys) for over a decade. However, Emirates has more sports sponsorships than most.
Arsenal FC
One of Emirates’ longest-running sports sponsorship deals involves the UAE flag carrier’s commercial partnership with Arsenal FC in London. The airline’s name has appeared on the front of the football team’s jerseys since 2006, and will continue to do so until at least 2028. According to Emirates, this 22-year relationship is “the longest-running front-of-shirt sponsorship in Premier League history.”
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On a similar note, Emirates will also continue to give its name to Arsenal’s home ground until at least 2028. Known as the Emirates Stadium since its opening in 2006, this 60,000-seat arena is one of the largest football stadia in the UK, and, as well as hosting football matches, has also been the venue of multiple large-scale concerts over the years, involving the likes of Coldplay, Green Day, and The Killers.
The Emirates Stadium has also hosted multiple international friendly matches involving the Brazilian men’s national football team over the years, as well as one of the semi-finals of the 2021 Men’s Rugby League World Cup. Emirates also gives its name to a preseason football tournament at the stadium, known as the Emirates Cup, which sees Arsenal take on teams from all over the world at its home ground.
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Naturally, no commercial partnership in the airline industry would be complete without a corresponding special livery. As it happens, Emirates actually has several involving the colors, badge, and players of Arsenal FC. As pictured above, these have involved both the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777, with these widebodies serving as giant flying advertising boards for the team from North London.
While the aforementioned Emirates Cup is a preseason friendly tournament, the Dubai-based UAE flag carrier has also given its name to multiple competitive tournaments over the years. Perhaps most notable is the airline’s sponsorship of the Football Association Challenge Cup, known in short as the FA Cup, which involves teams from the English leagues and is the oldest club cup competition in the world.
Photo: Emirates
Given the tradition-rich nature of the FA Cup, the competition operated without a title sponsor for more than 100 years before eventually establishing its first commercial partnership with Littlewoods in 1994. Several more have come and gone, with Emirates being the most recent. The airline began serving as the competition’s Title Partner in 2015, and will continue to do so until at least 2028.
Somewhat closer to home, Emirates is also “supporting home-grown talent with [its] sponsorship of the UAE Pro League.” This is the top division of professional association football in the UAE, and currently consists of 14 teams. Touching on its sponsorship of the competition, Emirates adds that “alongside our international sponsorships, it’s important for us to support our local teams and organizations.”
Alongside its most notable sponsorship of Arsenal FC, Emirates currently lists four other teams among its commercial partners. All of these clubs play in Europe in the top tiers of their respective domestic league pyramids, with the sides in question being AC Milan (Italy), Olympique Lyonnais (France), Real Madrid (Spain) and SL Benfica (Portugal). As pictured below, these are also present in special liveries.
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A recent development on this front involved Real Madrid, with Simple Flying reporting in early January that Emirates had revealed a new decal on one of its Boeing 777-300ER featuring the club’s badge and players. Emirates has been Real Madrid’s main sponsor since 2011, and the 777 bearing the new decal is registered as A6-EQD. The jet subsequently flew the team to play a match in Saudi Arabia.
Historically speaking, several other football teams have also bee the subject of sponsorship deals involving Emirates in the past. Indeed, as it happens, Arsenal FC was not the first English team to enter such a commercial partnership, with London rivals Chelsea having the Emirates name on their shirts from 2001 to 2005. Meanwhile, over in Germany, Emirates sponsored Hamburger SV from 2006 to 2020.
Long-running rugby deals
Of course, football is far from the only sport where Emirates has established notable commercial partnerships. Indeed, the airline explains that its sports sponsorships date back to “the first powerboat race held in Dubai in 1987.” Interestingly enough, that year also marked the start of a long-running partnership with the Rugby World Cup, with the Emirates name featuring on referees’ jerseys.
“Since the inception of the Rugby World Cup in 1987, Emirates has been the first brand to ever feature on the playing kits of players and match officials. Through our sponsorship of the World Rugby referees, we’re at the center of every international rugby match. The elite pool of officials who take charge of the sport’s biggest matches wear Emirates on their shirts, ensuring we are with them at the heart of the action on the pitch and on the touchlines too.” – Emirates
Photo: Emirates
Off the pitch, Emirates has also had various other commercial partnerships with the Rugby World Cup, starting with the 2007 iteration in France when it served as a tournament sponsor. Subsequently, from the 2011 edition until at least 2027, the carrier has upgraded its involvement to be a worldwide partner. South of the equator, it has also sponsored the Emirates Lions in South Africa since 2015.
Like its involvement with the UAE Pro League in association football, Emirates is also involved with rugby on a more local level in the form of its sponsorship of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens since 1987. This tournament, which Emirates notes is “firmly established as one of the best on the HSBC Sevens World Series circuit,” takes place in the carrier’s hometown, attracting over 100,000 fans.
Present at major tennis tournaments
When it comes to tennis, the Emirates name has become somewhat ubiquitous over the years, with the carrier having penned commercial partnerships with all four Grand Slam tournaments. This process started with the US Open in 2012, followed by the Australian Open in 2013, and the French Open in 2014. Wimbledon was a tougher nut to crack, but Emirates eventually became a partner in 2024.
Photo: Emirates
Elsewhere in the world of tennis, Emirates has enjoyed a commercial relationship with the ATP World Tour for over a decade, having served as a Premier Partner since 2013. Once again, tennis is also a sport where Emirates has forged partnerships closer to home, having “supported the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships since its inception in 1993.” The tournament takes place in February and March.
Big in basketball
In the world of basketball, Emirates has fostered strong commercial relationships in the Middle East through its partnership with the UAE Basketball Association. This has seen the carrier serve as the association’s sponsor and official airline since 1991. Elsewhere in the Middle East, Emirates has been the jersey sponsor and official airline of the Beirut Basketball Club in Lebanon since back in 2022.
Photo: Emirates
Further afield, last year also saw Emirates score a slam dunk with its basketball deals in the US and Canada as it became the official airline partner of the NBA in February 2024. As pictured above, this subsequently resulted in the unveiling of a spectacular blue NBA-themed livery on one of its Airbus A380s in October last year, with basketball legend James Worthy flying on the jet from Dubai to New York.
The best of the rest
Elsewhere in elite sports, Emirates has a major presence in golf. Most notably, it has served as the official airline of the DP World Tour since 2014, sponsoring 21 tournaments and serving as the official tournament partner of 14 events. Meanwhile, in cricket, the Emirates name has been part of Lancashire Cricket Club’s stadium since 2013, and it also sponsors elite ICC referees and umpires.
Photo: Emirates
In the world of road cycling, the carrier has sponsored UEA Team Emirates since 2017, while, on the water, it has given its name to Emirates Team New Zealand and the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team. It is also a global partner and official airline of the America’s Cup. In Australian Rules Football, Emirates is a premier partner of the Collingwood Football Club in Melbourne, appearing on its jerseys and shorts, while, in horse racing, it sponsors the Dubai World Cup.