Emirates to Extend Arsenal & Real Madrid Main Kit Sponsor Deals
- Emirates Sponsorship Strategy: Emirates considers maintaining partnerships with Arsenal and Real Madrid as a beneficial strategy.
- Arsenal Deal Extension: Emirates' current shirt sponsorship deal with Arsenal extends until 2028, and the stadium naming rights agreement runs until 2038.
- Real Madrid Deal Extension: Emirates' current shirt sponsorship deal with Real Madrid expires in the summer of 2026, but an extension seems likely with the 2026-2027 kits featuring Emirates already in production.
Emirates wants to extend their long-standing shirt sponsorship deals with Arsenal and Real Madrid, according to comments from the airline’s executive vice president of corporate communications, marketing, and brand, Boutros Boutros.
Current Arsenal Emirates Deal Runs Until 2028, Madrid Expires This Summer
Arsenal's and Madrid's 26-27 kits.
Speaking to City AM, Boutros said keeping Arsenal and Real Madrid is “a good strategy” and indicated the airline intends to continue both partnerships. Emirates will enter its third decade as Arsenal’s main shirt sponsor this year, while also maintaining a long-running deal with Real Madrid.
Emirates first signed with Arsenal in 2004, with the deal covering stadium naming rights for Emirates Stadium and shirt sponsorship. The current extension runs until 2028 for the shirt sponsorship, while the stadium naming rights agreement runs until 2038.
With Real Madrid, Emirates became the club’s main shirt sponsor in 2013. The latest renewal, signed in 2022, runs only until the summer of 2026. Given Boutros’s comments, it seems likely that Emirates and Madrid will extend. We also already have images of the Madrid 2026-2027 kits featuring Emirates on the front. Production for these starts this month, so an announcement seems imminent.
Football Teams Sponsored by Emirates
Interestingly, Emirates has a team in every major European league except for Germany.
Do you think Emirates will continue both deals long-term? Let us know in the comments.
Kilmarnock 2026-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock FC have officially unveiled their new home and away kits for the 2026-27 season. Made by Hummel, the new shirts feature James Frew Ltd as the main front-of-shirt sponsor.
The Hummel Kilmarnock 2026-27 home jersey introduces a clean design in the club's traditional blue, complemented by Hummel's iconic chevrons on the shoulders. Offering a vibrant alternative, the Hummel Kilmarnock 2026-27 away shirt is predominantly yellow. Both kits share a cohesive design language characteristic of Hummel's recent templates and are available to purchase through the club's official channels.
RFEF Official Store AI Chatbot Recommends Fake Spain Jerseys
The official store of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has experienced an embarrassing glitch, as its AI-powered chatbot is reportedly advising fans to purchase counterfeit Spain national team jerseys instead of the official merchandise.
A viral post by X user @Free_y_thinker highlighted the issue, sharing a screenshot of the chatbot recommending a fake jersey as a better and cheaper alternative to the official kits. The post quickly gained massive traction with nearly a million views, prompting other users to share their own bizarre interactions with the shop.rfef.es AI, which included further recommendations for fakes, specific unauthorized sellers, and even seemingly random Python code. This incident highlights the potential pitfalls of implementing AI customer service without strict guardrails.
2026-27 English Club Crest Updates
In the 2026-2027 season, several English teams will have a different badge, as nicely highlighted by The92Bible. Three teams have permanent changes - Stoke, Peterborough, and Salford.
FC Twente 2026-27 Home Kit Released
FC Twente and Castore have officially unveiled the club's new home kit for the 2026-27 season. The launch follows a successful campaign that saw the team finish fourth in the Eredivisie and secure European football, with the club using the motto "We continue the line" for the new release.
The Castore FC Twente 2026-27 home shirt introduces a clean and traditional look in the club's classic red. Drawing direct inspiration from the legendary 2009-10 championship-winning season, the standout design feature is a subtle, thin vertical line pattern that runs across the entire shirt. Adding a local touch, the word 'Tukkers' is proudly incorporated into the collar, while various club-specific elements are embedded within the back numbers.