Budweiser to sponsor The FA Cup
The Football Association has signed a three-year sponsorship deal that will see the FA Cup become known as The FA Cup with Budweiser.
The US-based beer brand replaces energy firm E.ON as the "lead partner" of the oldest cup competition in football.
The value of the deal has not been disclosed, but the FA said Budweiser would dedicate a portion of sponsorship funding towards promoting responsible drinking to football fans.
It will also help the FA with a community initiative to provide essential equipment to small teams in the early rounds of the competition.
Alex Horne, FA General Secretary, said: “We are extremely pleased to have secured an iconic brand such as Budweiser to be the lead partner of The FA Cup. Like The FA Cup, Budweiser has a proud heritage and a long history of being involved in football.
"Furthermore, given the global reach of this sponsorship, we will see The FA Cup promoted around the world like never before which is great for the fans and the players. The FA Cup is already a much-loved competition around the world and we look forward to building on that passion with Budweiser.”
Budweiser is no stranger to football having served as the 'official beer' of the FIFA World Cup for the last 25 years.
Chris Burggraeve, chief marketing officer at its parent company AB InBev, said: "We share The Football Association’s ambitions to showcase the tournament globally, uniting the millions of fans around the world who anticipate The FA Cup each year.”
The agreement was negotiated by The FA’s sponsorship team, led by Peter Daire, who said: “Being able to work with a brand like Budweiser, with its scale and marketing expertise, is a great boost to The FA Cup and I look forward to making the partnership a success for both parties, and most importantly, for fans and competing clubs.”
Budweiser's plans for promotional activity include giving fans the chance to vote for the Man of the Match, a duty typically reserved for the TV commentators.