FA Cup will be renamed the Emirates FA Cup from next season....

FA Cup will be renamed the Emirates FA Cup from next season after airline sign three-year sponsorship deal

Emirates president Sir Tim Clark (left) poses with FA chairman Greg Dyke and the FA Cup at Wembley

The FA Cup will be rebranded as The Emirates FA Cup after the Football Association announced a three-year sponsorship deal with Emirates Airline.

On the day of the FA Cup final, the Football Association announced Dubai-based Emirates had signed a deal to sponsor the oldest knock-out competition in football until 2018.

From next season the FA Cup will be known as The Emirates Cup.

The FA had been looking for a new sponsor for the FA Cup since Budweiser ended its three-year association with the 144-year-old tournament last year.

FA chairman Greg Dyke said: 'Emirates' commitment to our sport is evident and securing such an iconic and forward-thinking lead partner for the FA Cup is great news for us, the fans and for the whole game.

Dyke and Clark announced the three-year sponsorship deal at a press conference at Wembley

'The partnership will help take the tournament to new audiences, inspire interest in football from across the globe and allow us to continue our investment into the game at all levels.

'I know there will be traditionalists who take issue with the subtle renaming, but all of the money the FA receives from partnerships such as this goes back to the game at all levels.

'I want and expect to increase our funding into the very areas that need it most - grass-roots facilities, coaching and young player development.