The FA has announced that Emirates will become the title sponsor of The FA Cup from next season until 2018. It marks the first time in the tournament’s 144-year history that there has been a headlining sponsor.

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With over 700 clubs taking part, the FA Cup is a focal part of the English football calendar and will now benefit from a cash-injection of a title sponsor.

Emirates has a rich history in football sponsorship with AC Milan, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and others benefiting from the airline’s support in recent seasons .

Throughout the next three years, Emirates will focus on bringing the world’s most prestigious domestic cup competition closer to its fans from across the nation as well as the rest of the globe.

Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline said: “Football is a truly global sport, a unifying factor in many communities and nations across the world.

“Never is this more evident than with The FA Cup, which has an unrivalled heritage and draws a global audience of more than 1.1 billion people. The spirit of competition, fair play, and sparking the passions of a global audience, are all values we share at Emirates.

Greg Dyke, Chairman of The FA said: “Emirates’ commitment to our sport is evident and securing such an iconic and forward-thinking lead partner for The FA Cup is great news for us, the fans and for the whole game.

“The partnership will help take the tournament to new audiences, inspire interest in football from across the globe and allow us to continue our investment into the game at all levels.”

Next season’s FA Cup kicks off on 15th August with Extra-Preliminary rounds and culminates in a showpiece final at Wembley on Saturday 21st May 2016.