Football Association announces FA Cup will be renamed The Emirates FA Cup

This time next year, two teams will be getting ready to take part in The Emirates FA Cup final.

The Football Association announced that the Emirates airline company will become the tournament's first title sponsor and that the FA Cup will be re-branded as The Emirates FA Cup final beginning next season until 2018.

“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," FA chairman Greg Dyke said.

"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.”

Emirates, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, replaces Budweiser after the American brewing company ended its deal with the FA last year.

The airliner also has ties in England, as they own the naming rights to Arsenal's home ground, The Emirates Stadium, and have been the official shirt sponsors of last season's FA Cup champions since 2004.