Arsenal’s training ground is renamed for the first time in its 24-year history

Arsenal’s London Colney base has been renamed the Sobha Realty Training Centre in a historic multi-million pound sponsorship deal.

The training ground, which opened in October 1999 under Arsene Wenger, has never been party to sponsorship in its 24-year history.

That changes from today, Dubai-based real estate developer Sobha Realty penning an agreement which sees the company also become the official training kit sleeve partner for the Arsenal men’s and women’s teams.

The two parties first came together in September 2023, the luxury developer securing naming rights to a match day hospitality suite at the Emirates Stadium. 

Their branding has been seen across the stadium and Meadow Park, home of the women’s side.

Dubai-based real estate developer Sobha Realty has penned an agreement for the naming rights

It is the north London club’s latest move in bolstering their commercial revenue in a bid to close in on their Premier League rivals. 

According to the Deloitte Football Money League, for the 2022-23 season the Gunners, who made 195million euros in such revenue, were behind Manchester City (399million euros), Manchester United (355million euros), Liverpool (298million euros), Tottenham (261million euros) and Chelsea (242million euros) but are on the way to reducing that gap.

Last week, Arsenal signed a sponsorship pact with MG Motor UK — their eighth deal since the end of the 2022-23 season.

Chief commercial officer Juliet Slot and CEO Vinai Venkatesham are big drivers behind the commercial push, supported by a wider team, to ensure the club is sustainable for the long-term future.

Slot said: ‘Our exciting new deal is a strong sign of our commitment to building mutually beneficial partnerships which support the objectives of both Arsenal and our partner.

It is the north London club’s latest move as they look to bolster their commercial revenue

‘This is a ground-breaking agreement for both of us, with Sobha becoming our first ever training ground naming rights partner, supporting their global growth ambitions as they seek to establish a stronger presence worldwide.

‘Our new partnership shows the strength of our commercial proposition and our ability to grow sustainably by developing commercial opportunities that can be invested back into our club. There has never been a better time to join us on our journey.’

Sporting director Edu said: ‘This is a very exciting agreement that will help us develop the best possible environment for our men’s and women’s players, coaches and support staff for years to come.’

Sobha co-chairman Ravi Menon added: ‘Together, we seek to leave a lasting legacy and make a significant impact that goes beyond sponsorship.’