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- Multimillion-pound, long-term deal sees venue renamed Barclays Hampden
- Bank will also title sponsor Next Gen Girls’ Performance Programme and be an official partner of Scottish Cup
Scottish Football Association (SFA) chief executive Ian Maxwell has welcomed the renaming of the national soccer stadium as Barclays Hampden.
The announcement confirmed a multimillion-pound, long-term partnership between the company and soccer’s governing body in Scotland. The Scottish Sun reports that the deal is worth UK£1 million (US$1.3 million) per year.
Barclays will also become title partner of the Barclays Next Gen Girls’ Performance Programme and official partner of both the men’s and women’s Scottish Cup competitions.
Barclays has already awarded more than 300 grants to Scottish grassroots soccer clubs through its Community Sport Fund over the last four years.
Maxwell said: “We’re excited to have Barclays on board as naming partner of Barclays Hampden.
“In the course of the conversations we’ve had over the past few months, to get to this point, their desire to support Scottish football – across the levels – has been clear.
“It’s a commitment that will continue with Barclays Next Gen, the girls’ performance programme and both the men’s and women’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup competitions.
“The impact of their investment will be felt within the walls of Barclays Hampden and far beyond – not least helping fuel the kind of programmes we run that harness the Power of Football and make an everyday impact in Scottish society.
“We’re looking forward to developing the partnership in the weeks, months and years to come.”
The deal was brokered by Scottish Football Marketing, the commercial entity launched in 2023 by the SFA, Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL).
It comes shortly after Scotland qualified for the 2026 Fifa World Cup, which will mark the men’s team’s first appearance at the tournament since 1998.
Brendan Napier, commercial director of Scottish Football Marketing said: “Our home is revered all over the world as the setting for some truly iconic moments – across sport and entertainment.
“Not least the heroics of our Scotland men’s national team, who last month secured qualification for the Fifa World Cup with three of the most outstanding goals you are ever likely to see.
“Moments matter. You only had to look at the faces of the capacity crowd on the night to see that and we look forward to sharing many more together at Barclays Hampden.
“We recognise that, as a treasured national asset, the national stadium deserved the right partner and in Barclays we know we have found just that.
“A world-renowned institution – committed to Scotland and Scottish football, at all levels.
“We’re equally thrilled with Barclays’ passion for supporting the Barclays Next Gen Girls’ Performance Programme – which will help develop some of Scotland’s brightest young talents – in addition to their new status as official partners of both the men’s and women’s Scottish Gas Scottish Cup competitions.
“From the first conversation, we could not have been more excited about partnering with the team at Barclays. We look forward, with optimism, to many happy years working together.”
The deal further grows Barclays’ investment in soccer in the UK, building on its roles as title sponsor of England’s Women’s Super League (WSL) and official partner of the men’s Premier League.
The SFA’s other major partners include the likes of kit supplier Adidas, mobile phone network EE and Scottish Gas.
Tom Corbett, managing director of sponsorship and client experience at Barclays, added: “We are thrilled to be ending the year with the addition of the Scottish home of football to our partnership portfolio.
“Hampden is a fantastic venue in a fantastic city and this new partnership will enable us to further support the next generation of football fans and players.”
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