The Rugby Football Union has confirmed that England rugby’s historic home ground at Twickenham will be renamed the Allianz Stadium as part of a new sponsorship deal.
The changes will come into effect from September and mean the insurer will now have naming rights to eight stadiums worldwide, including the Allianz Arena in Bayern Munich, Germany.
Twickenham’s iconic stadium has hosted English men’s football matches since 1909, attracting fans from all over the world to watch their teams perform at the highest level.
Additionally, the 82,000-seat stadium is a hub of sporting and social activities for all ages, hosting women’s international matches, major domestic matches, local events, and music concerts.
According to the broadcaster, the RFU is looking for further investment and documents seen by the BBC show it is considering selling its home in south-west London and buying a 50 per cent stake in Wembley.
According to the Twickenham Stadium Masterplan Programme (TSMP), the RFU Board discussed the proposals in March last year but did not make a formal approach to the Football Association (FA) to decide on the changes.
But it has since been revealed that the plan has been put on hold. The RFU, which backs the stadium redevelopment, said the move would represent a “significant long-term investment in the game”.
RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said: “This is an opportunity to celebrate the proud heritage of our stadium and develop it for the future.”
“This partnership will help move the game forward, benefiting everyone from mini to elite, club coaches to national coaches and everything in between.”
The newly renamed stadium is set to host the 2025 Women’s World Cup final next year, but the first international match under the new name will be played next month, when England’s women take on reigning world champions New Zealand on September 14.
The name change will surely come as a shock to many English rugby fans, especially since the name Twickenham will no longer be included in the stadium name. However, the change follows in the footsteps of the Irish, Welsh and Scottish associations, who have long named their stadiums with the help of sponsors.
The impact of the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and the need to modernise stadiums are thought to have played a role in the acceptance of the sponsorship deal, but while it may take some getting used to, the RFU insists the revenue generated from the sponsorship deal will be spread across all levels of the sport.
The exact amount is kept secret, but it is thought the investment will amount to more than £100 million over ten years.
