Football Association may rename Wembley

In an act that might upset millions of fans, the Football Association is reported to have completed negotiations with 4G mobile phone company EE and is set to declare a contract wherein the stadium will be known as “Wembley Stadium in association with EE”, “Wembley Stadium supported by EE” or something similar.

During the discussions with the future sponsors, FA had insisted that ‘Wembley’ should remain a part of the name, and labeling the stadium as ‘EE Stadium’, etc., was out of the question.

It was reported earlier in September that the FA, which is celebrating its 150th birthday, was looking for sponsorship for Wembley. They were apparently expecting to raise about £8 million a year.

Arsenal‘s Emirates stadium and England‘s Kia Oval stadium are two instances of famous sporting arenas that have sold their naming rights deals.

The FA has been searching for a sponsor for Wembley since the stadium reopened in 2007. When the stadium first opened in 1923, it was called the Empire Exhibition Stadium, referring to Britain’s then-vast territories overseas, before being renamed to Wembley Stadium.